Love, Redemption, and Salvation (Draco Malfoy)
by AppleBee25
Summary: (First Name) (Last Name) became his first real friend then his worst enemy. Draco Malfoy became her first real friend then her worst enemy.Rich and poor, sophisticated and unrefined, parented and parentless... they are complete opposites. Despite these circumstances, both hold the keys of each others fate in their hands. (There is a bigger summary in the first chapter!)
1. Chapter 1: The Orphan

**_Full Story Summary_**

(First Name) (Last Name) became his first real friend then his worst enemy.

Draco Malfoy became her first real friend then her worst enemy.

Rich and poor, sophisticated and unrefined, parented and parentless... they are complete opposites.

Despite these circumstances, both hold the keys of each others fate in their hands. Through their choices, they have the power of saving or completely destroying one another. Only they are capable of changing each other lives in ways that neither of them could have possibly imagined.

And neither one can survive without the other...

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing except for my characters! Everything else belongs to the creator of Harry Potter. J. K. Rowling! Please do not re-post this story without my permission.**

 **THIS PART WAS EDITED 8/1/2019**

 _This is thoroughly embarrassing. I didn't realize the last part of this chapter wasn't on this particular website until just now... I apologize for this! I'm normally a lot more organized than this! I really don't know what happened. I don't know how I didn't notice before this! The next chapter of the story doesn't make complete sense without it! Again, I am so sorry!_

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The Orphan**

It was a chilly November night in London. The sky was filled with dark clouds that promised the chance of rain and hid the moon from sight. Street lamps easily compensated for the loss of the moonlight and illuminated buildings, streets, and sidewalks all over the city. No one could hide in the darkness unless they stepped into the shadows of the cars or alleys. The fact comforted anyone who walked down the sidewalks at night and rightfully so given the circumstances.

Everyone has had a hard time feeling safe during the last couple of years. Strange things were happening all over England until they suddenly stopped a week ago. They ended almost as quickly as they started. The problems and fear caused by their devastation, however, left a lasting mark that hadn't faded away just yet if it was even possible that it would. An unusually high number of people are missing. Hundreds of dead bodies have been found lying around in random places, with more still being discovered. People have even dropped dead on crowded sidewalks in broad daylight.

The police have run extensive investigations into each situation but to no avail. No one has been able to find out who killed them or why. They aren't even sure how the victims died. None of them had a single wound on their bodies or internal signs of medical complications. There was always a look of complete terror on their faces, however. It was almost as if they died of fright if that was possible. What could frighten someone to death in the middle of a crowded sidewalk was anyone's guess. It was astounding no one saw the perpetrators in the act considering the circumstances. Whoever the killers were, it was clear they were extremely dangerous.

Just thinking about it made people nervous.

The government has tried to tell everyone that there was no need to worry, but it started to fall on deaf ears over a year ago. Too many people have died, or disappeared, in similar circumstances for it all to be a mere coincidence. At this point, everyone just wanted answers for the cause and everything to end.

White letters on a green street sign at each end of one of the many roads had the words Turner Street. Tall four-story apartment buildings with shared walls went along its edges. Four windows lined the top three levels to let light into the rooms. Each complex was painted a different color on the outside to make it easy to tell them apart since they all looked alike. Although they looked like they were in the same building, each one had its own chimney stack sticking up on the roof, entrances at the bottom level, and building numbers. Different small business took up the bottom floors that also made it easier to tell them apart.

It was usually bustling with people who were visiting the many businesses in the area, but the street was empty except for the small handful of cars lining its curbs. An eerie quiet had engulfed Turner Street, not even the occasional passerby was anywhere to be seen. The creaking of branches was the only sound that broke the silence whenever a strong gust of wind periodically blew against the trees on the sidewalk.

At the end of Turner Street was another road perpendicular to it, Mulberry Street. Almost all the buildings on it looked exactly like the ones on Turner Street. There was only one exception at its center, right where Mulberry and Turner intersect.

It looked much like the others. The building had four stories, a brick exterior, a chimney stack, and windows that lined the front of each floor. After that though, the similarities ended. Unlike the others, it didn't have shared walls with the other buildings near the property. A tall brick wall went all around the large properties border to surround the structure at its center. The building was four times the size of the others and had fifteen windows on each floor. A set of large concrete stairs led up to the dark wooden French doors at its entrance. There was only one entrance to the property, a tall iron gate at the edge of the sidewalk positioned in front of the main doors. At the front of the building, there was a large playground hidden behind the wall surrounding the property. You couldn't see it unless you walked up to the front gate and peered through it. The words "Bray's Children's Home" were on a plaque screwed into the brick wall.

Everything was quiet and still until two loud popping sounds rang through the air. They came from the opposite end of Turner Street where two men were now standing. It was as if they had appeared out of thin air.

One was a tall old man with blue eyes and pale skin. His long white hair reached down to his hips and was as long as his white beard. Anybody could mistake him for someone's grandfather. His choice in clothing though made him stand out. He wore a strange, expensive looking long sleeve dark red robe and a pointed hat of the same color on top of his head. His clothes would remind anyone of the usual depiction of a wizard. He didn't seem like he belonged there.

The other man was younger with greasy shoulder-length black hair and obsidian eyes of the same color. He was only twenty-one years old. His pale, sallow skin though made him look much older. He also had a hooked nose. Dark circles were under his eyes as if he hadn't been sleeping. Unlike the kind looking man next to him, he had a cold and indifferent expression on his face.

His black robes billowed behind him when he stepped forward to stand next to the other man. They were strange looking like the older man's as if he also didn't belong there.

"It would appear Hagrid hasn't arrived yet," the old man said as he looked around the neighborhood.

"Are you sure it was prudent to send the child with him Albus?" the black-haired man asked. "Surely there are safer ways."

"I am sure, Severus," the old man whispered with a nod while he stared at the large building at the other end of the street. "I would trust Hagrid with my life."

Albus pulled a strange object out of his robe pocket. It looked like a cigarette lighter. A click came from it as he opened its lid. He pointed it at one of the many street lamps around them before something strange happened. Somehow the light coming from it flew into the object and disappeared. He repeated the same thing to all the other lamps as they made their way towards Bray's Children's Home. By the time they made it to their destination, Turner and Mulberry were both covered in darkness.

Both men were silent for a moment as they stared at the orphanage.

"It's a shame," Albus said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "I never thought that I would be forced to do something like this. If only she had someone, a relative, that I could give her to. It pains my heart to send her to an orphanage."

"Neither of her parents had any living relatives," Severus informed him. "There's nothing else we can do."

"If only they wouldn't have been at the wrong place at the wrong time," Albus said with a sigh. "Fate can truly be a cruel mistress."

The low rumbling of a car or motorbike broke the silence that formed between them moments later. As the noise from the engine in the distance gradually grew louder, they looked up and down Mulberry and Turner for any signs of a headlight. All that greeted them was darkness. When the noise became loud enough, they both looked up at the sky and noticed an oversized motorbike descending towards the ground.

"It looks like Hagrid's here," Albus said.

When the tires of the motorbike hit the concrete of the road a few apartments away, the tires screeched from the impact. Hagrid eventually came to a stop in front of Severus and Albus then turned off the roaring engine.

"I presume the child is safe, Hagrid?" Albus asked.

"O' course Headmaster," Hagrid said in response as he looked at a small pink bundle inside his sidecar. "She's right here, safe and sound."

Hagrid stood up and picked up the small pink bundle with his garbage lid sized hands to cradle it in his massive arms.

It wasn't hard to tell, even from a distance, that Hagrid was unnaturally large. He easily towered over Albus and Severus, two full-sized adults, when he stood at his full height of eleven feet six inches. He was also three times as wide as they were. Even his boot covered feet were both the size of a medium-sized dog. The child he was holding in his arms made his size even more apparent. She was a great deal smaller than he was.

Hagrid had shaggy medium-length black hair and a thick beard that covered half of his face. His warm looking dark brown eyes were staring down at the pink bundle in his arms. He was wearing an overcoat made of moleskin that had many pockets. Underneath it, he had on a red long-sleeved shirt under a worn brown vest. A black belt around his belly held up a pair of baggy dark brown pants that covered his lower half. Although his clothes didn't look as strange as Albus' or Severus', they were still out of place in the middle of London.

Albus stepped towards him and took the bundle out of Hagrid's arms. A baby girl with (e/c) eyes and (h/c) hair peered up at him with a tired expression on her face. She had tear stains on her red cheeks.

If it wasn't for her exhaustion, Albus knew she would still be crying. It was clear she wasn't happy. He couldn't blame her. The poor girl went through an extremely traumatic experience a week and a half ago. It was nothing short of a miracle that she was still alive. She hasn't had a restful nights sleep since that fateful day. All she wanted was the comfort of her parents. Unfortunately, he couldn't give her what she wanted. Her parents were gone. They died that same day.

He and his associates all investigated the incident and tried to decide what to do with her. None of them wanted to give her up to an orphanage. They came to realize though that they had no other option. As Severus had pointed out, her parents had no living relatives. The girl was an orphan in every sense of the word.

He turned around to face the orphanage and took a step towards it with silent dread.

Albus took extreme caution while choosing an orphanage to place her in. A part of him though still feared what might become of her. Was he doing the right thing? Would she learn to understand love or would she end up like a certain boy he had come to know? Was he dooming her to a horrible future by handing her over?

They were questions and thoughts that had been swirling inside of his mind since they made their decision. He had heard that the orphanages in London had changed slightly since the 1930s and 1940s. From what he had observed though, the treatment of the children depended mostly on the people in charge. His only hope was the fact that the woman who was in control at this particular orphanage was kinder than most. He spent most of yesterday watching her and observed how she had treated the children under her care.

The front gate creaked as he opened it and entered the property. Severus and Hagrid stayed behind and silently watched him as he walked up to the front steps. His pity filled blue eyes were glued to the child in his arms while he slowly walked up the stairs. When he made it to the front doors of the building, he hesitated for a moment then crouched down to gently place her down onto the porch.

"Goodbye (First Name) (Last Name)," Albus said to her as he placed an envelope on top of her small stomach just as she closed her eyes and finally fell asleep. "Good luck."

He gave her one last fleeting glance then stood up and walked away from her. When he made it through the gate leading into the property, he took out his light stealing object and a stick.

"We'll meet you back at Hogwarts," Albus said to Hagrid. "Be careful on the way there."

"I will," Hagrid said as he nodded his head in understanding.

Hagrid walked back over to his motorbike and sat down before starting it up again. The engine roared to life and only became louder when he pressed on the gas pedal.

Albus waited until Hagrid was soaring through the sky before he pointed his stick at the doorbell of the orphanage. A burst of light shot out from its tip and hit the doorbell. Someone turned on the light to one of the rooms on the bottom floor moments later.

It was all the evidence he needed to know someone heard the doorbell.

He quickly opened the lid of his light stealing object with another click. The light it stole flew back into the lamps and began to illuminate Turner and Mulberry once more.

"Let's go, Severus," he said softly after giving the orphanage one final look.

Albus and Severus then suddenly vanished as if they weren't there in the first place. The only proof of their existence was the small child they left behind.

 **XXX**

Victoria's soft chocolate brown eyes shot open when the familiar sound of a doorbell reached her ears. A feeling of dread immediately consumed her. It was never good when she heard the orphanage doorbell chime in the middle of the night. The reason was always the same. It meant someone dropped a child off at the door.

She quickly sat up and threw the covers off her body then turned on the lamp next to her bed. This time she planned to confront whoever it was to try to stop them. It wasn't like she didn't understand that they had already thought over leaving the child there. However, she felt like it was better to talk to them about it. She wanted to help them, to convince them that there might be a better way to deal with their situation. A child deserved to be with their family not in an orphanage. There were only a few exceptions to the rule.

With determination flowing through her, she stood up and rushed towards the door of her room as fast as she could. She didn't care that her shoulder-length blonde hair was a mess, or that she was wearing only pajamas. Her appearance was of little consequence. It was more important to worry about reaching the front door of the orphanage before it was too late.

As she threw open her door and burst out of her room, the light from her lamp filled a section of the dark hallway she entered. It gave her just enough visibility to reach the front waiting room. She didn't bother to turn on the light switch of the large room as she made her way over to the front doors of the orphanage. Her heart was pounding inside her chest as she flung open the doors without hesitation.

The sight that greeted her made her heart stop.

There was a small sleeping baby girl all alone on the doorstep of the orphanage. An envelope was sitting on top of her stomach.

As quickly as Victoria could, she stepped over the child and ran towards the sidewalk in a desperate attempt to catch whoever dropped her off before it was too late. Her efforts, however, proved to be fruitless. There was no one in sight.

A sigh escaped her lips as her shoulders slumped in defeat.

She wouldn't be able to find them now.

Victoria walked back over to the small child at the top of the orphanage steps. A look of pity was on her face as she stared at the baby girl. It pained her heart to see such a vulnerable child on her doorstep. In her experience, however, there were many reasons someone would do it. She couldn't judge whoever had left her there.

Victoria crouched down and grabbed the letter then gently picked up the child to take her back to her room. Once she was back inside her quarters, she walked over to her bed and placed the sleeping child down on the center. She didn't want to risk her falling off the bed if she rolled over.

Another sigh escaped her lips before she looked at the envelope again. She could see two words written on the front of it now that she wasn't in the dark.

 _Victoria Staley_

A perplexed expression appeared on her face as she continued to stare at it.

It was strange to see that her name was on the front of the envelope. How would they know who she was? She didn't remember seeing anyone with a baby coming by recently. Why would they specifically write her a letter? Would it explain what was going on?

Unable to contain her curiosity, she quickly tore open the envelope to read the letter inside.

 _Dear Miss Victoria Staley,_

 _I regret to inform you that you now have a new ward to take care of at the orphanage. I'm sure the appearance of another child on your doorstep has come as an unexpected and rather unpleasant surprise. You've undoubtedly had an influx of new children dropped off at the orphanage because of the things happening all over London. You probably didn't want to have another under your care. It is my belief though that you are the only person qualified enough to take care of this child. I have seen you interact with the other children as the head caretaker of this institution and believe you have what it takes. You're the only person I can trust with her._

 _The child you have just taken into your care is (First Name) (Middle Name) (Last Name). She was born August 21, 1980. Her parents were (Father's Full Name) and (Mother's Full Maiden Name). She's lost both of her parents because of the most recent gas leak in London. I'm sure you heard about it. What happened that day is still deeply traumatizing her. It's difficult for her to settle down. She's still trying to seek her parents for comfort. I would have given her to a relative if I could. Unfortunately, she has no living relatives on either side of her family. That is why I must rest my hopes in you._

 _Please, take care of her and show her the love she deserves. She needs someone to love her more than anything else. I'm counting on you._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Albus Dumbledore_

Victoria re-read the letter so she could absorb all the information contained within it and then looked down at the sleeping child on her bed with a look of pity on her face once again.

She'd heard about the gas leak explosion that took place on November 1st. It created a massive crater in the street and killed twelve people when it happened. (Name) was lucky to be alive. Unfortunately, Victoria couldn't say the same for her parents.

Life really could be cruel. It was hard to believe someone so small had already been through something so traumatic and heartbreaking.

"It looks like I have no other choice but to take you in," Victoria said to (Name) softly as she made her decision. "You have nowhere else to go."

She moved (Name) to the middle of the right side of her bed and covered her with the bed sheets then lied down on her side to stare at her.

"I'll make sure to take care of you just like Albus wants me to, I promise."

(Name) needed her and Victoria planned to go through with her decision until the very end.


	2. Chapter 2: Worth It

**Chapter 2: Worth It**

Two months after (Name)'s arrival, Victoria was sitting at her office desk with a tired expression on her face. She was staring at a piece of paper she had placed in front of herself, trying with all her might to read it without almost falling asleep. It was proving to be an impossible task in her condition.

Prominent dark shadows were under her chocolate brown eyes because of the many sleepless nights she'd endured. She was holding a light blue mug in her hands full of coffee, cream, and more sugar than she would like to admit. Occasionally she sipped its contents hoping the caffeinated drink would wake her up or at least give her enough energy for the rest of the day. So far, it hadn't done the trick. She was still having a hard time staying awake despite the copious amounts of coffee and sugar she'd consumed during the last few hours.

After several more failed attempts to read the piece of paper, a tired sigh escaped her lips. She leaned back in her leather chair and looked up at the white ceiling, finally admitting defeat.

Reading the paper in front of her was a lost cause. She was too tired to deal with it. All she wanted was a nap. Her soft, inviting bed was practically calling to her. She could just imagine the wonderful feeling of lying inside it underneath the covers.

Another deep sigh escaped her lips, and she shifted her gaze back down to her desk.

A large pile of paper had formed on top of it because she'd been neglecting to deal with any paperwork during the last few days. It would become near impossible to manage if she didn't deal with it somehow. Three yellow sticky notes were directly in front of her on the opposite end of the desk to remind her she needed to make a few important phone calls before the end of the day.

She had to fight the urge not to scowl as she stared at the offending objects. Everything there reminded her of why she couldn't take a nap. She had too many things to do.

Victoria chugged down the rest of her coffee then sat up straight and placed the mug on the desk.

The sooner she finished everything, the sooner she could go to sleep.

She reached out for the phone and once again resumed her work.

"Yes," Victoria said several hours later while trying to keep her temper in check. This was the sixth phone call she'd made today, and it wasn't going as well as she hoped it would. "Yes, I understand but-"

Before she could finish her sentence, the line went dead. Anger flowed through her as she glared at the phone in her hand.

"That son of a-" she muttered angrily before the sound of a child crying filled the room.

Her anger quickly turned into concern as she looked over in the direction of the noise. (Name) was lying inside of the wooden crib at the opposite end of the room, crying loudly. She'd woken up from her well-deserved nap.

Victoria placed the phone into its receiver then stood and walked over to the crib. She picked up the crying baby girl and held her in her arms.

"It's all right," she said to her softly as she tried to comfort her. "I'm here now. Don't cry. It was just a bad dream, that's all. I won't let anything hurt you."

(Name) continued to cry without abandon as if Victoria had said nothing.

Taking care of a one-year-old child was harder than she could have possibly imagined. It wasn't because she didn't know what she was doing. She had plenty of experience when it came to taking care of children. However, this was the first time she'd ever taken full responsibility for a child. She usually tried delegating a handful of tasks to one of the other caretakers in the facility. This time was different. She couldn't bring herself to do it. The letter she received the night (Name) arrived stopped her from doing so whenever the thought crossed her mind. Albus wanted her to take care of (Name), no one else. He saw something in her he didn't see in anyone else before he dropped her off. It made her feel needed, special. As a result, Victoria's barely had any time to herself since she arrived. She was beyond exhausted.

The traumatic experience (Name) went through before her arrival also further complicated the situation. It was an entire month before she could adjust to her surroundings. She wasn't used to Victoria, the other caretakers, or the other children. It was bad enough in the beginning that Victoria had to keep her inside her office or bedroom to allow her to adjust to everything a little at a time. Whenever someone picked her up, it upset her since she didn't know who they were. Their mere presence would bother her if they came too close as a matter of fact. She didn't know what to expect from them. She was afraid of them.

Even after she adjusted to Victoria and the others, she woke up most nights crying just like she was now. She kept having nightmares from what she could tell. Victoria always tried her best to comfort her, but her efforts did little to help. (Name) wanted her parents, not her.

She heard a knock on her office door a few moments later before it creaked open.

A woman of average height and build stepped into the doorway. Her skin was tan, and she had long black hair that was up in a high ponytail. She was another caretaker in the facility.

"What do you need, Olivia?" Victoria asked her over (Name)'s wailing.

"I just wanted to tell you lunch is ready," Olivia said while eyeing her and (Name) with concern in her dark brown eyes. "Do you need any help?"

"No," Victoria said without hesitation. "It's fine. I'll handle this. Thanks for telling me. We'll be out once she's calmed down."

Olivia hesitantly nodded her head then turned around and walked away.

It took some time, but (Name) eventually stopped crying. Victoria carried her out of the office and over to the cafeteria where everyone else was already eating. Sunlight was shining brightly through the four large windows on the opposite wall and illuminated the relatively large room. Three tables took up most of the space inside it, but only one was currently in use. The group was usually smaller during lunch. The children who were old enough to go to school weren't at the orphanage during this time of day unless they were out of school for the holidays.

The four caretakers in the room, including Olivia, waved at her in greeting when they noticed she'd walked into the room. Victoria gave them a nod of acknowledgment then headed to one of the empty tables. She usually sat with the others now that (Name) was used to being near them, but she wasn't in the mood to socialize. The last phone call she had was beginning to grate on her nerves again since the toddler in her arms wasn't distracting her by crying.

Her boss had always been a pain in the ass, but his attitude towards her today took the prize. He seemed to think he could just walk all over her! If she could tell him off without risking her job, she'd gladly do it and maybe throw in a punch or a slap to the face while she was at it!

While she was silently brooding, she made sure to feed (Name) first before choosing to eat herself.

(Name) closely watched everyone else in the room until the other children left to go outside to play in the snow that had appeared on the ground from last nights' snow storm. It was instances like these she felt happy that (Name) wasn't old enough to go outside with them. She wasn't a fan of the cold. She's never been. On a cold day like today, she liked to curl up into a chair with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate.

Once she finished, she went back to her office with (Name) in her arms.

The next day, Victoria found herself in the same predicament as the day before. She was once again too tired to look at the paperwork mounting on top of her desk. She also had another irritating conversation with her boss over the phone. There was one difference though that made her believe things were starting to look up. Last night (Name) didn't wake up crying because of a nightmare or something else. It didn't mean she was any less tired, though. She had two months' worth of sleepless nights to catch up on.

Victoria heard an object start to repeatedly hit something and looked over suddenly alert and very aware of her surroundings. Her eyes quickly found the source of the noise. It was coming from (Name).

The one-year-old was sitting on the floor only about five feet away from her with a building block in both of her hands. She'd chosen to bang them together to amuse herself. Her actions seemed to work wonders. A rare smile was on her small face as she enjoyed herself. It was the happiest Victoria had seen her.

Eventually, (Name) stopped what she was doing and looked over at Victoria as if she could feel her watching her. They stared at each other.

"Hi," Victoria said to her after a few moments with a welcoming smile on her face and a small wave.

(Name) did nothing in response. She just continued staring at her. Victoria returned her gaze for a few more long moments and then tried to go back to her paperwork.

A little while later, Victoria felt a tug on her pants. She looked down in confusion. Her eyes once again landed on (Name).

At some point, she'd crawled over to her and was now sitting on the floor next to her chair. She was reaching up toward Victoria with her small hands. A grunt escaped her lips as a needy expression came to her face. It was clear she wanted her to pick her up.

The action warmed Victoria's heart. It also surprised her.

It's the first time (Name)'s reached out towards her or anyone else for that matter.

(Name)'s never sought someone out to hold her until now. She hasn't even crawled over to anyone to be near them before today. Almost the entire time she's been at the orphanage she's wanted them to leave her alone. Why would she suddenly change her mind?

A small squeak reached Victoria's ears, and she quickly looked around to see if she could find the source. Luckily for her, it wasn't hard to find. The small light brown rat on the opposite side of the room greatly contrasted with the black carpet on the floor of her office. It was near one of the many bookcases that lined the walls of the room. There was a light green collar around its neck that indicated it was someone's pet.

"Henry," Victoria said with a sigh.

Henry was one of the other children at the orphanage. He had a bad habit of accidentally leaving his rats' cage open. As a result, it escapes and runs around the large building until someone finds it. The last time it happened, they found it because (Name) started crying after it had chosen to come up to her. She was terrified of the small, relatively harmless creature.

Victoria talked to him about leaving its cage open several times. She made a point to once she found out how much it scared (Name). So far, however, her efforts have been in vain.

(Name) made a sound that broke Victoria from her thoughts. She immediately looked down at her in response and noticed her expression. She was going to cry unless she tried calming her down.

Victoria quickly picked her up to hold her in her arms.

"It's all right, sweetheart," she said to her soothingly. "I won't let it hurt you. You're safe now."

(Name) responded by hiding her face in Victoria's chest and tightly holding onto her shirt.

Victoria paused while she looked at her in astonishment.

She had hoped that she would eventually open up to them, but she never expected this.

A small smile appeared on Victoria's lips moments after she had recovered from her surprise. She kissed the top of (Name)'s head affectionately as warmth filled her heart again. Victoria felt happier than she'd felt in a while even though she was feeling bad that (Name) was scared. The small girl in her arms was finally starting to rely on and trust her. (Name) chose to use her for protection. She wanted her for comfort. She wanted her to hold her.

"Come on," Victoria said as she stood from her office chair. "Let's get out of here. We should tell Henry where his rat is, so he can put it back in its cage."

Somehow that very moment made up for all the sleepless nights she'd endured. It made it all worth it.


	3. Chapter 3: Shocking Surprise

**Chapter 3: Shocking Surprise**

Victoria's bond with (Name) only continued to grow stronger as time passed. She came to care for her more than any other child she had taken in at the orphanage. By age two, (Name) had given her more trouble than most children as well.

As many toddlers do, (Name) had a knack for getting into things no matter what Victoria did to stop her. She couldn't count the times she was able to get her little hands on whatever her heart desired. Something about the situation was strange, though. On many occasions, she swore she'd went out of her way to place what (Name) was after on a high surface to keep it out her reach. There were a few times she even believed she locked the object inside of her desk or a nearby cabinet. However, the fact that the small girl was able to get a hold of it proved she didn't. Victoria couldn't have kept it out of her reach if (Name) was able to get her hands on it, right? But... why does she distinctly remember double, if not triple, checking to make sure she did?

The situation made her second guess herself. She felt like she was losing her mind.

It wasn't until one March afternoon she finally found out what was going on.

(Name) was having a tantrum as many two-year-old's do. The little girl had managed to confiscate a chocolate lollipop from the front desk while Victoria wasn't paying attention and she decided to take it away from her. She didn't want her to get sick because she ate it before dinner. It happened once a few months ago and, in her opinion, it was one time too many.

"You can't have any dessert until after dinner," Victoria told her kindly with a hint of firmness in her voice.

She knew she had to stand her ground. (Name) was quite stubborn when she wanted to be. She rarely took no for an answer. It was a trait the two-year-old undoubtedly picked up from her since they were always together.

"No!" (Name) shouted.

"Don't you remember what happened last time?" Victoria asked. "You'll get sick and throw up again if I let you eat it. You don't want that, do you?"

"Give back!" (Name) bellowed stubbornly in response as she reached out for the candy.

She didn't want to listen to reason even if it was in her best interest.

"Not until after dinnertime," Victoria responded patiently. "You only have to wait another thirty minutes. Today's your favorite, Mac and Cheese with pieces of ham."

"Give back!" (Name) shouted again as she stomped her foot angrily.

"No," she replied.

Victoria placed the lollipop up on top of her highest bookcase and spoke.

"I'll give it back to you once dinner is over," she said to her with a hint of finality in her voice, "no sooner."

She walked over to her desk to deal with some paperwork as (Name) started to wail loudly.

A twinge of pain entered Victoria's heart as she watched her from her desk. She didn't like it when she made her cry, it made her feel guilty, but she couldn't allow the fact to change her decision. She wouldn't be taking care of her properly if she did.

Victoria forced herself to look away.

A few minutes later, (Name)'s crying came to a strangely abrupt end. When a noise that reminded her of a plastic wrapper filled the room, Victoria lifted her head to see what she was doing. Her mouth fell open in disbelief the second her eyes landed on her. Somehow (Name) had managed to get her hands on a chocolate lollipop again.

"What in the world?" Victoria said in disbelief as (Name) put the candy inside of her mouth. "How did you get your hands on that?"

She gazed over at her closed office door.

Did (Name) sneak out of the room while she wasn't paying attention?

Victoria shook her head and quickly dismissed the thought.

She would have heard her the second she opened the door. It creaks every time someone opens it.

Victoria stood up and stepped towards (Name) to take the candy away from her for a second time. After she successfully took hold of the lollipop, tears once again streamed down (Name)'s cheeks as she cried and begged her to give it back. Victoria forced herself to ignore her. She re-wrapped the candy and walked over to the bookcase to feel around for the chocolate lollipop she'd placed on top of it to make sure she didn't sneak out somehow.

As she expected, it wasn't there.

She knew that it was impossible for her to reach the top of the bookcase, though. It must have rolled off of it. Any other theory wouldn't make sense.

"I'll give it back to you after dinner, all right?" she said to her as she gently placed her hand on top of her head.

"Give back!" the two-year-old cried angrily in response.

A tired sigh escaped Victoria's lips before she walked back over to her desk to sit down with the candy in her hand. Instead of putting the lollipop on top of the bookcase, she placed it inside her desk drawer and locked it to stop (Name) from getting it back. She didn't want to risk letting it fall to the floor again. She also wanted to make sure she couldn't open her desk drawer if she tried to. It might be harder to take it from her if she was able to get her hands on it again.

Victoria watched as the toddler marched over to her desk and tried to pry open the drawer. Her efforts were unsuccessful.

"You're just going to have to wait," Victoria told her firmly. "I'll give it to you when it's time."

"No!" (Name) whined as she continued to try to force it open. "Give back!"

After about two minutes, (Name) gave up and plopped down onto the floor and started wailing loudly again. It was clear from the unhappy look on her red, tear-stained face she felt picked on and angry.

Once more, pain and guilt shot through Victoria's heart. She quickly looked away from her and tried to make herself focus on the paperwork on her desk. It was the only way to prevent her from giving into (Name)'s demands.

A few minutes later, what little concentration she had on her work broke again when she heard a familiar click. She stopped what she was doing and looked over at her desk drawer in confusion. When it flew open on its own, Victoria jumped in surprise.

"What the-?" she began saying after a few moments before her voice died in her throat as she watched a new spectacle take place in front of her.

The chocolate lollipop had suddenly floated up into the air.

Victoria's eyes widened in shock and horror as her body completely froze. Her mind had gone blank while her heart pounded inside her chest.

She could only watch as the candy moved down to (Name), who almost seemed to be expecting it. The moment it reached her, the little girl took it back without question.

Once (Name) had the candy back in her mouth, and Victoria found her voice again, she spoke in disbelief as her stomach tightened uncomfortably.

"Bloody hell, what's going on?"

This wasn't the first time she'd seen something like this happen. She was surrounded by many strange occurrences like this when she was a child. The cause behind it all was her older brother, Fred, much to her and her parents' bewilderment and amazement. He'd always been able to do things she couldn't quite explain as a matter of fact. No one was ever able to discover why he was capable of something like that in the end, he and her parents died before they could. Victoria had never met anyone else who could do the same thing, either.

Was (Name) able to do the same thing?

She shook her head and dismissed the thought.

Her brother was a unique case. The likelihood that she would meet someone else like him was extremely slim. But how could she logically explain what she'd just seen? Objects don't float into the air of their own accord, and desk drawers don't unlock and open by themselves.

Eventually, with a lot of hesitation, Victoria decided to investigate the situation and slowly slid out of her chair to crouch down in front of (Name). She gathered up all the courage she could muster and took the lollipop from her when the two-year-old pulled it out of her mouth. This time it wasn't only to get it out of her grasp but to also examine it.

It looked just like any other lollipop.

"Give back!" (Name) protested again as she jumped to her feet and tried to take it back.

Victoria stood up from her crouched position to keep it out of her reach.

"I'm going to get you another piece of candy," Victoria said after a few long moments while continuing to stare at the object in her hand. "There's something wrong with this one."

It was the only explanation she could come up with in her frazzled state.

She walked out of the office with a crying (Name) following closely behind her. When they made it to the empty desk in the front waiting room, Victoria noticed something that made her pause. The jar of candy that was usually on the desk was nowhere to be seen. She scanned the area with her eyes until she spotted it on the top shelf of a nearby cabinet and alarm shot through her once more.

"How... how did you get one of these?" she whispered in shock. "Annabelle moved the jar so you couldn't reach them."

(Name) wouldn't have been able to reach them even if she used a chair. She was too small. Did it float over to her like before? Did _she_ make it float over to her? Was there something wrong with the lollipop itself?

"Give back!" (Name) begged as she tightly took hold of Victoria's pants and temporarily broke her from her thoughts.

"Is something wrong?" a woman asked as she walked out of the backroom behind the desk and stepped towards them.

Annabelle was a plump woman with short brown hair parted on the left and soft brown eyes.

"When did you move that jar?" Victoria asked her as she pointed at the jar full of candy.

"Last night," Annabelle responded.

A look of confusion and worry appeared on Annabelle's face when she saw Victoria's shocked expression.

That was the last thing Victoria wanted to hear. She'd been desperately hoping that Annabelle had moved it after (Name) snatched up the piece of candy. The fact that the small girl she'd come to care for might be responsible for something like this was something she didn't want to accept. Victoria remembered how hard things were for her brother before he died.

"I wanted to make sure (Name) didn't get up to her usual mischief," Annabelle quickly explained as if she was worried she was in trouble. "We all know how she always gets into everything. My son was the same way when he was her age. Why do you ask? Did I do something wrong?"

Victoria didn't respond. She was too busy thinking about the impossibility of the situation as she stared at the toddler clinging to her leg.

(Name) couldn't really be like her brother, right? It's impossible. How could she explain what she'd just seen though? She couldn't pretend like it didn't happen. She couldn't even claim that her eyes had been playing tricks on her since the candy was now in her hand after it floated over to (Name). It wasn't just a figment of her imagination.

A rather unpleasant possibility came to her mind while she was contemplating what else could be the cause.

There wasn't a ghost in the orphanage, right?

The unsettling thought made her shudder.

She wasn't sure which of her ideas bothered her more. The thought of a specter roaming around the orphanage seemed as unlikely as the chance that the candy could float in the air by itself. However, she knew it was possible. She had lived in a haunted house after she moved out of her grandmother's house and started to live on her own. Strange things like that did occur along with windows slamming themselves shut...

She rapidly shook her head to dismiss the idea.

No! She wasn't willing to accept that as the explanation for it either! There simply had to be a rational explanation! There had to be! She'd figure out what happened in a little while once she calmed down and could think clearly. For the time being, she'd simply have to blame the lollipop itself!

"Victoria?" Annabelle asked with worry in her voice as she watched her strange behavior. "Why do you ask? Did I do something I wasn't supposed to?"

Victoria quickly looked back over at the woman in front of her and spoke as calmly as she could.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong," Victoria said. "It's nothing."

Annabelle wouldn't believe her even if she told her what was on her mind.

A tall seventeen-year-old boy named Carl suddenly walked over to them from the hallway leading further into the building. His olive skin seemed to glow in the sunlight that was illuminating the large room. His shoulder-length black hair was in a low ponytail, and concern was in his dark brown eyes while he stared at the small girl crying next to Victoria.

"What's wrong with her?" Carl asked as he stepped over to them.

Victoria couldn't help but sigh.

"I took a lollipop away from her so she couldn't eat it before dinner," she explained.

"She managed to get a hold of one again?" Annabelle asked in amazement.

Victoria just nodded her head.

"Extraordinary," Annabelle said as she looked down at (Name). "I can't believe you managed to get your hands on one even after I moved the jar. Knowing you though, all you had to do was bat your little eyes at one of the older children. They would have gladly given you one. Most of them adore you."

She turned her gaze over to Carl and continued to speak with a look of suspicion on her face.

"You didn't do it, did you?"

"I'm offended," he said with a hint of playfulness in his eyes. "I don't cause trouble all the time."

An amused expression appeared on Annabelle's face in response.

"Although," Carl said as he walked over to the cabinet with a mischievous grin on his face and snatched up one of the lollipops inside the jar, "in this case I think it calls for it. How can I let you be so mean to her?"

"What are you-?" Annabelle started to ask with a perplexed look on her face until her voice died in her throat.

He had walked over to (Name) and extended the piece of candy towards her to give it to her right in front of them.

Victoria and Annabelle stared at him flabbergasted. Carl's always been bold, but they never expected him to cause trouble when they were staring right at him.

"Here you go," he told her.

(Name) quickly grabbed it before anyone else could.

"Carl!" Annabelle said to him sternly as she placed her hands on her hips.

"I think I've done my civic duty for the day!" he said with a cheeky grin before he started to run down the hallway where he originally came from.

"That boy," Annabelle said with a sigh as he turned a corner and disappeared, "there really is no helping him sometimes."

Victoria felt herself relax a little.

Under normal circumstances, she'd have scolded him. All of the older children know that they weren't supposed to give (Name) candy before dinner. In this case, however, she felt too relieved to finally have a reasonable explanation for the fact (Name) managed to get her hands on the lollipop in the first place. One of the older kids must have grabbed it for her when no one else was looking. As Annabelle stated, many of them do have a soft spot for her.

"You're right," Victoria said with a small smile.

Annabelle gazed over at her and seemed to relax once she noticed Victoria's change of demeanor.

"I'm going to take (Name) back to my office," Victoria said as she grabbed the two-year-old's hand. "Tell me once dinner is ready."

"I will," her fellow co-worker said with a nod.

Victoria led the little girl back to her office and closed the door behind them once they were inside. While (Name) was paying attention to the candy she already had in her small hands, Victoria quickly threw the lollipop she'd taken from her inside the garbage tin next to the door.

Even though she felt a little reassured by Carl's actions, she still wasn't willing to rule out the possibility that there was something seriously wrong with the piece of candy. She didn't want to risk something strange happening to (Name) if she ate it.

The sound of a plastic wrapper reached Victoria's ears once again, and her focus went back to (Name). She quickly walked up from behind her and took the piece of candy while the two-year-old had her guard down. (Name) spun around to face her with her mouth open in shock and disbelief.

"I'll give this back to you after dinner," Victoria said.

"No!" (Name) whined as Victoria walked over to the bookcase and placed the new lollipop on the top shelf.

Victoria ignored her and headed back over to her desk as the two-year-old began to cry again.

This time she observed (Name) instead of working on the paperwork on her desk. She couldn't focus on it even if she tried. (Name) was crying, and her mind kept playing over the memory of the lollipop and desk drawer.

A few minutes later, much to her horror, the piece of candy floated up into the air and came down until it was in (Name)'s hands.

She couldn't blame the candy this time around. It was a different one than before. There couldn't really be a ghost in the orphanage, right? Or... could (Name) really be the cause?

Once again, she pushed the questions aside as she desperately tried to find another explanation. Moments later, a thought occurred to her.

Maybe she could still blame the candy instead of an invisible specter or (Name)! It's possible there was something wrong with the entire bag. Wouldn't that mean though all the other lollipops in the jar weren't safe to eat either?

She knew she was grasping at straws, but she needed to explain what was going on. The last thing she wanted to do was admit that there was a ghost in the orphanage or that (Name) was responsible.

Victoria quickly stood up and walked over to (Name) again to take the lollipop.

"Stop it!" (Name) protested in a pitiful, whiny voice the moment the candy was back in Victoria's grasp. "Give back!"

Victoria ignored her once again and headed out of her office. (Name) followed her determined to get her candy back. Her sniffles made it extremely apparent she was about to cry again.

Annabelle was still at the front desk as they made it over to it.

"Annabelle?" Victoria said while trying not to act on edge.

"Yes?" Annabelle asked in confusion.

"Do you have a different bag of these lollipops?" Victoria asked as she revealed the lollipop in her hand.

"I believe so," Annabelle said. "Why do you ask?"

"I think this bag is bad," Victoria stated without going into any detail.

"Really?" Annabelle asked in surprise and shock.

Victoria nodded her head again.

Annabelle was quick to take action. She threw all the lollipops in the jar and bag into the nearest bin, then took the one in Victoria's hand and also threw it away. (Name) burst into tears and cried louder than before since her lollipop was now in the garbage.

"I'll go get another one," Annabelle said while looking at (Name) with sympathy.

Victoria nodded her head, then turned to face (Name) and placed her knees on the floor.

"Annabelle is grabbing another one for you, all right?" she said as she held her.

Her words didn't console (Name) in the slightest.

Thankfully Annabelle walked into the room only a few minutes later with a new one.

"Here," she said as she extended it towards Victoria.

"Thanks," Victoria said with a weak smile as she stood up again and took the lollipop. She grabbed (Name)'s hand and spoke to her. "Come on. Let's go back to my office. I have a new lollipop for you."

(Name) looked up at her as Victoria showed her the candy as proof she was telling her the truth. The knowledge she had a new one seemed to help calm her down a little. By the time they stepped back into Victoria's office, she was only sniffling.

A sigh of exhaustion came from Victoria's lips when she let go of (Name)'s hand and walked over to her bookcase again.

"I'm putting this here until dinner," Victoria informed (Name) as she placed the lollipop on top of it for the third time.

(Name) looked up at her, devastated by her words. She seemed to have expected that Victoria would change her mind. The thought did cross her mind for a split second when the devastated look appeared on (Name)'s face. At this point, she felt like she was bullying her.

"No!" (Name) shouted.

She angrily plopped down onto the floor and began to cry loudly again.

A tired sigh escaped Victoria's lips as she walked back over to her desk to sit down and ignored her. Even after everything that's happened, she couldn't relent. She was doing all of this with (Name)'s best interest in mind.

She looked over at the clock and noticed there were still ten minutes before dinner.

She only had to wait ten more minutes...

After a few minutes, (Name) stood up and walked to the bookcase determined to get her hands on the piece of candy she thought was rightfully hers. She reached up towards the candy in desperation while still crying. Moments later, Victoria's eyes widened in shock as the new lollipop floated up into the air. She could only watch flabbergasted as it floated down into (Name)'s hands again.

Victoria didn't move as she stared at the girl in front of her in disbelief while feeling dread at the same time. She was finally at the point she couldn't blame the candy anymore. If she continued to try, she'd only be fooling herself. She was being forced to face the music, as some would say.

The strange phenomenon could only have two possible causes, a ghost or (Name). It was, unfortunately, the only logical conclusion. Her, (Name), and the possible invisible specter were the only ones around when it happened.

A part of her still wanted to try to come up with another, more realistic, solution. She felt almost desperate to do so. However, because of her experiences in life, she knew about many things people didn't believe in. She'd seen them first hand. This wasn't a situation where she felt like there could ever be a logical explanation, especially when her own brother was able to make things float into the air with ease. Under that theory though which one was responsible, (Name) or a ghost?

Even though both theories were unpleasant in their own way, she'd gladly blame (Name) over entertaining the thought of a ghost in the orphanage. At least she could see her. How could (Name) be the cause of it, though? How could she, or any child for that matter, make objects float up into the air? How could she make the desk drawer unlock and open without even touching it?

Victoria was sure those were questions her parents had asked themselves when it came to her brother as well, but even they couldn't find the answers. To be honest, she wasn't sure if there ever would be any. They'd taken him to many specialists in different scientific and medical fields and yet always came out empty-handed. In fact, because of the situation, many people thought they were crazy.

She stared at (Name) for a few moments then took a deep breath in a lame attempt to calm her nerves. Although she didn't really want to do it, she knew there was only one way she could find the answers to some of her questions. She had to confront (Name) despite the anxiety that was coursing through her.

Victoria slowly stood up, and reluctantly walked over to (Name) again. Instead of taking the candy from her, she sat on the floor in front of her and spoke.

"Have... have you done this before?" she asked her nervously.

A part of Victoria was silently hoping she'd say yes. The other half, however, wished she would tell her no.

"What?" (Name) asked in confusion while sucking on her lollipop.

Her cheeks and eyes were still red from crying, but she was now content. She seemed to be a little wary of her, however, and Victoria couldn't really blame her. She expected her to take her candy away from her again.

"You made your lollipop float over to you, didn't you?" Victoria asked.

"Yes," (Name) said with a nod.

Victoria looked at her in surprise while also feeling a strange hint of relief now that she finally had her answer.

Then her original assumption was right after all. (Name) was somehow responsible for making the candy float to her. She was capable of the same thing her brother was. The thought brought up some concerns, but she pushed them aside for the time being. Now wasn't the time to think about it. She needed to calm down a little first and fully absorb the situation. Afterward, she could worry about what to do.

A few moments later, a look of realization appeared on Victoria's face as she slowly absorbed (Name)'s answer.

That meant she _had_ been putting everything where (Name) couldn't reach it! She wasn't going crazy! Most people would think differently, however, if she tried to tell them what (Name) had done. It would be exactly like what happened to her parents. The other caretakers would probably say she was hallucinating because she wasn't sleeping enough and that she needed to take a vacation at the very least.

Victoria took a few more deep breaths as she forced herself to calm down once again. She'd been on edge ever since the first lollipop floated into the air. It was understandable, given the circumstances. It wasn't every day an object suddenly floated into the air by itself with no reasonable explanation. Anyone in her position would have reacted the same way, if not even worse.

Unlike most people, however, she was level headed enough because of her past experiences to realize that (Name) didn't mean any harm by it once she figured out what was going on. She was only two and, like other children, when (Name) spotted something that caught her eye, she just wanted to get her hands on it. She didn't know what she was doing was out of the ordinary.

Once Victoria calmed down, she spoke again.

"How did you make it float over to you?" Victoria asked as she let her curiosity take over her.

Now that the initial shock of what happened was over, she couldn't help feeling extremely curious about it. She'd always been amazed and interested in her older brothers abilities. What was going on? What was so different about (Name) and Fred compared to everyone else? Did Albus know about what she was capable of when he dropped her off? Did he somehow know that her brother was able to do the same thing?

"I asked it to," (Name) said.

"You just asked?" Victoria asked bewildered.

"Yes," she said with a nod.

A knock came from the office door before she could question her about it further.

"Come in," Victoria said while continuing to stare at the child in front of her in wonder.

The door creaked open.

"Dinner's ready," Annabelle said.

"We'll be right there," Victoria said without sparing her a single glance.

Victoria didn't say another word until the door to her office shut again.

"How long have you been able to ask objects to come to you?" Victoria asked.

"Always," (Name) said.

"Always?" she said in surprise.

(Name) nodded her head again.

"Extraordinary," she said while looking at her in amazement.


	4. Chapter 4: Desire to Protect

**_Author Note:_**

 _Hello everyone, here is the next chapter! Sorry about the confusion when I posted the last one. I've been using Grammarly to check for any errors in my writing and had to put a name to the main character in order to make sure it was all correct. I completely forgot to change it back to (Name) when it was all done. Thankfully, YamiYokai on Quotev told me about it._

 ** _THIS IS IMPORTANT:_**

 _ **The story will begin to completely lose its integrity once I've made it to the content inside of the chapter "Adversity". There isn't really a good way to handle this. I don't want to lose everyone's precious comments in the older chapters by deleting them once I've finished the revision of the story. As a result, I've decided that I'll have to replace the "Adversity" chapter with the new content regardless of it messing up the flow of the story. I'll put an Author Note at the end of each chapter, exactly like the one I already have informing everyone that it's the end of the new version of the story, to warn everyone that the story won't make sense beyond that point. I'll also post another Author Note chapter at the very beginning of the story to fairly warn anyone who's new that it's under construction. It'll be messy for the most part until I make it to the characters' post-Hogwarts years and it'll take quite a bit of time to sort that out. Sorry for the inconvenience that this will cause all of you!**_

 _I hope all of you enjoy this next part of the story. Thank you so much for the support I've received so far! I really appreciate it! Please tell me what you think by commenting and, if you like the story, giving it a heart. Any constructive criticism is welcome and if anyone notices that I've made a big mistake like accidentally putting the name Anna for the reader/main character please let me know. I'll definitely try not to in the future, but sometimes things can happen._

 _Without further ado, here is the next new part of the story!_

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Desire to Protect**

A sigh escaped Victoria's lips as she opened the front gate and stepped onto the grounds of the orphanage.

Today had been one of those days...

She'd been stuck at the head office talking to her boss all day about funding for the orphanage. It wasn't a pleasant meeting, either. In fact, it was a rather painful experience. By the time it was over, she wanted to rip all her hair out and strangle him. She really did hate speaking to the man. Being in his presence all day zapped a lot out of her. All she wanted to do now was to go to sleep and forget the day ever happened.

"Thank God I don't have to talk to him every day, bloody bastard," she muttered under her breath as she made it up to the front steps of the orphanage. "I can't believe a wanker like him is actually married when I can't seem to get a single date. What's wrong with this world?"

It didn't take her very long to make it to the top of the stairs. She opened one of the front doors and took a step inside the front waiting room before a scream of horror suddenly shot through the entire building.

Her eyes widened in surprise before her gaze moved over to Annabelle who was sitting behind the desk, looking as equally shocked. Moments later, one of the doors in the hallway leading to the back of the building was thrown open with a loud bang. Sarah, one of the other caretakers in the orphanage, suddenly ran out into the hallway with a look of utter terror on her pale face.

Victoria and Annabelle quickly rushed towards her. Sarah's long blonde hair whipped around in its ponytail as she spun in place and pushed her back flush against the wall behind her.

"Sarah," Victoria said in concern once they reached the frightened woman, "what's wrong?"

"T-There!" she shouted with terror in her blue eyes while pointing at the room she'd just ran out of.

The two women with her looked in the direction she was pointing.

Victoria felt her heart stop. Her eyes had landed on an all too familiar two-year-old girl with (e/c) eyes and soft (h/c) hair.

(Name) was standing in the room with a small blanket in her arms. An utterly perplexed look was on her little face while she stared at Sarah. There was nothing strange currently happening as far as Victoria could tell. However, she knew something out of the ordinary must have taken place. Sarah wouldn't have rushed out of the room in sheer terror if everything was normal.

"What is it?" Annabelle asked Sarah in confusion.

"T-The blanket just suddenly floated in the air from the other side of the room!" Sarah exclaimed.

"What?" Annabelle said with an incredulous look on her face.

Two weeks have officially passed since (Name)'s lollipop incident. It was easy for Victoria to realize that (Name) had a power, a gift she couldn't even begin to understand. She'd spent the last little bit trying to find books in the local library to see if she could find more information about it. Unfortunately, she always came out empty-handed just like her parents before her. Nothing so far seemed to be able to describe or explain everything (Name) could do. (Name) and her brother, Fred, really did appear to be the only people in the universe capable of whatever it was. They were special.

Victoria acknowledged the fact though that she had to do something about it despite her fascination. Sarah just proved the other caretakers wouldn't take the situation as well as she did, and she knew that no one else would either because of the way her brother was treated. As luck would have it, however, she was drawing a blank. It wasn't easy to figure out what to do. These weren't normal circumstances.

"That's not possible," Victoria decided to say. It would be better if she played stupid for the time being. "Things don't suddenly float into the air, now do they?"

"But it did!" Sarah insisted. "I saw it! It floated from the other side of the room until it made it over to (Name)!"

Annabelle stared at her with a worried expression as the other caretakers and orphans started to gather in the hallway to watch the spectacle.

"Calm down, dear," Annabelle said as she gently grabbed Sarah's right arm. "Why don't we take you to the kitchen? I'll make you some hot chocolate for your nerves."

Sarah didn't have a chance to refuse. Annabelle took a firm grasp on her arm then began to pull her towards the cafeteria.

"What's going on?" Sally, another caretaker, asked Victoria in confusion as she walked up to her.

She was a tall woman with long red hair that was in a tight bun and piercing green eyes. Her appearance made her look stern and intimidating. She also had a fiery temper when pushed. However, Sally was never harsh to the children. She cared for them as much as the other caretakers did inside of the orphanage.

"It's nothing you have to worry about," Victoria said with a fake smile. "Sarah's just tired, that's all."

"She has been working extra shifts as of late," Sally said with a frown. "I was worried that it might be too much for her. She's not used to working so many hours. Something seems to be on her mind."

"I've noticed that too now that you mention it," Victoria said with a frown of her own, feeling slight concern for her fellow colleague.

Victoria felt a tug on her pants and looked down. (Name) was standing next to her.

"Misses Staley back?" she asked while looking up at her expectantly.

Victoria couldn't stop the smile that tugged up the corner of her lips despite the situation that had just ensued. (Name) had a way of making her smile somehow even on her worst of days like today.

"Yes, sweetheart, I'm back for the night," Victoria replied.

A yawn escaped (Name)'s lips moments after. Victoria looked at the watch on her wrist and realized just how late it really was. She decided to pick up the small girl and held her in her arms.

"Why don't we get you ready for bed?" Victoria suggested. "It looks like you're getting sleepy."

"I'm not sleepy," (Name) said before another yawn escaped her lips.

"Oh, yes you are," Victoria said in amusement. "I'll read one of your favorite storybooks if you get ready for bed."

"Okay," she immediately agreed before she rested her head on top of her shoulder.

If there was one way to convince (Name) to go to bed, it was this. She loved it when Victoria read a story to her.

"I'll handle (Name) and the others," Victoria said to Sally. "Why don't you go check on Sarah? You might be able to calm her down."

Sally nodded her head in agreement before she began to walk through the crowd.

"All right, everyone," Victoria said to the children in the hallway, "showtimes over. You should head to bed. It's late, and I know most of you have school in the morning."

"Yes, Misses Staley," the children said in unison before heading to their own rooms for the night.

After that night, Victoria tried to make sure that she watched over (Name) most of the time. She didn't want any more mishaps like what happened with Sarah. Unfortunately, things never work out quite as planned.

There were many occasions during the next couple of years she was forced to leave one of the other caretakers in charge of her while she was out on business. It gave (Name) many other chances to end up doing something that would frighten the others. On one such occasion, she turned one of the other orphan's skin green while they were having an argument. Luckily the effects wore off, eventually. Once Annabelle even saw (Name) flying around Victoria's office after opening the door at the worst possible moment. That certainly didn't help matters.

Eventually, all of the odd incidents finally compounded enough that the other caretakers were able to realize she was somehow responsible for all the strange events that took place. As a result, they became extremely wary of her by the time she turned four. She'd even go as far as to say they were absolutely terrified of her and what she'd end up doing next.

Victoria held (Name)'s hand as they silently walked down the hallway leading to the cafeteria. They could hear chattering from the other children who were already inside the massive room as it echoed through the building.

The long tables came into view the moment they stepped into the room. All but the center one were empty. Sally, Annabelle, and Sarah were among the handful of caretakers sitting with the other children to watch over them. Each of them visibly tensed up the second they spotted them. Some gave (Name) fearful looks while they watched her closely as if they were worried she was going to do something to them. A few also tried to act like she didn't exist and quickly shifted their gazes away from her.

She decided to ignore them and lead (Name) over to the long, empty table on the left side of the room that was closest to the cafeteria line.

"Have you decided what you want to eat today, (Name)?" Victoria asked the four-year-old with a smile as she helped her up onto one of the benches.

(Name) gave her a thoughtful look then spoke.

"Lasagna!"

"That's what I was planning to eat too," Victoria said with a grin on her lips. "I'll be right back. Don't do anything while I'm gone, okay?"

"Okay," (Name) said with a nod.

Victoria made sure to watch over her as much as she possibly could while she grabbed their food. She didn't want anything to happen while she wasn't paying attention. Luckily, it wasn't long before she was able to make it back over to the table.

"Here you go," she said to (Name) as she placed the tray of food down in front of her, "lasagna as requested."

"Thank you," (Name) said with a smile.

"You're very welcome," Victoria said with a fond smile as she sat down next to her at the table.

They walked out of the cafeteria together as soon as they finished eating. The other children were already outside after being allowed to leave the cafeteria twenty minutes earlier. (Name) planned to join them now that she was also done eating, but decided to stop at the desk in the waiting room on the way to the front doors. Annabelle was already sitting behind it, sorting paperwork that would undoubtedly end up on Victoria's desk sooner or later.

"Mrs. Barnaby?" she asked her.

Annabelle's head shot up, and her usually soft brown eyes were filled with apprehension as they landed on the four-year-old. She looked like she wanted nothing more than to bolt from her chair.

It pained Victoria a great deal whenever she saw the others behave like Annabelle was acting now. A part of her understood everyone's fear, even she had been startled in the beginning, but it worried her. She was the only one truly willing to take care of (Name) now. They wanted nothing to do with her. She'd never forget the fact they'd all neglected to take care of her the last time she had been forced to go to a meeting at the head office. Things seemed to be getting progressively worse with each time (Name) made something strange happen.

"Can I have a lollipop?" (Name) asked as if she was completely unaware of the situation.

In a way, Victoria hoped she was oblivious to it all. She didn't want (Name) to be burdened by something like this.

"Here," Annabelle said with a hint of harshness in her voice as she practically shoved the jar at her. (Name) looked at her startled. "Take the whole thing if you want."

"I think it would be best if she only had one or two," Victoria stated with a hint of displeasure in her own voice as she looked at her with a guarded expression. "She'll be sick by the time dinner arrives if we let her have any more than that."

Annabelle's eyes widened in surprise as she finally took notice of her. Evidently, she hadn't realized Victoria was standing right next to (Name). She obviously wouldn't have spoken to her like that if she would have.

"O-Of course," Annabelle said to her with a nervous smile. "You're right."

(Name) quickly took two chocolate lollipops then grabbed Victoria's left hand and tugged on it. She gazed down at her in confusion but let her lead her over to her office. The little girl opened the door and pulled her inside before letting her hand go. She watched her as she walked over to the toys she'd left on the floor to play with them. Apparently, she'd changed plans and decided to stay in here.

"Are you sure you don't want to play with the others?" Victoria asked in confusion. "You were looking forward to it before."

"Yes," (Name) said with a nod as she avoided her gaze. "I want to be with you."

"Okay," Victoria said with a worried frown.

Something was definitely bothering her. (Name) loved to play outside with the other children. It was rare for her to decide to stay indoors. Whenever something was on her mind, however, she always began to cling to her. Another telltale sign was that she'd refused to look at Victoria when she responded to her question.

She spent all afternoon silently worried about her well-being while (Name) remained quiet. The four-year-old didn't speak a single word, not even at dinner, despite her usual talkativeness.

It wasn't until Victoria was tucking her into bed that (Name) finally spoke.

"Misses Staley?" she asked with a sad and worried expression on her face.

"Yes?" Victoria asked in concern.

"Why is everyone acting strange?"

Victoria fought off the frown that threatened to appear on her lips. Unfortunately, it looks like (Name) wasn't as unaware as she'd hoped. The situation had become bad enough that she'd taken notice of it. With the way Annabelle acted towards her, it wasn't surprising.

"It's nothing for you to worry about, okay?" Victoria tried to tell her reassuringly.

She knew it was a lie, but she didn't know what else to tell her at the moment.

"How about I read one of your favorite stories?" she asked as she changed the subject. She wanted to take her mind off of things. "I know you like "Cranberry Thanksgiving"."

"Okay," (Name) said as her face brightened.

Victoria's answer to her worries seemed to be enough to satisfy her for the time being. She, as most children do when they're her age, took her advice to heart and believed every word she'd said. However, she could still tell there were occasions during the few months that followed where (Name) was bothered by the way the others were treating her.

Her plan to have (Name) live under the illusion that everything was all right continued until it was finally forced to come to a screeching halt.

It was a little past midnight when Victoria decided to stand up from her chair and leave her room. She became hungry before bed and had to grab something from the kitchen so she could sleep. It was something that happened to her quite frequently. The same thing used to transpire with her grandmother too. There were many nights the two of them would spend time together eating their extra meal while she was living with her. Those nights were something she would always cherish.

She was quiet as she tiptoed out of the room and silently closed the door behind her. Luckily the door to her room was one of only a few in the old building that didn't creak loudly every time it moved on its hinges. (Name) was already asleep and tucked safely inside of the bed they shared together.

(Name) did have her own room, all the orphans did, but she never used it. All of her belongings were inside Victoria's instead. Since she was already four, Victoria knew that it was probably time to start making her use her own room. The problem was that she didn't want to. It didn't bother her to let her sleep in her room. In fact, she enjoyed her company.

Victoria was quiet as she slowly made her way through the building, her fingers gingerly brushing against the wall closest to her in the pitch-black hallway. A few of the halls were dimly lit by the moon, but most were windowless and too dark to navigate without assistance. It would have made more sense for her to turn on the lights so she could see instead of fumbling around in the dark, but she felt like she couldn't. There were dozens of rooms she had to pass by before she could make it safely into the kitchen. Most of them were bedrooms currently occupied by orphans residing inside the building. She was afraid that one of them would see the light come on through the crack underneath their door and want to investigate.

A quiet sigh of relief came from her lips just as she turned one last corner and reached the hallway where the entrance to the cafeteria was. The feeling was quickly replaced by confusion when she noticed a thin ray of light illuminating a small section of the hallway. It was coming from a small crack between the two doors of the cafeteria. Someone had left one of the doors ajar and the lights on in the room.

Thinking it was one of the orphans, she tiptoed her way over to the doors to take a peek inside through the crack. Her eyes widened in surprise when she noticed all of the caretakers who had worked that day gathered there. They were sitting at the end of the long center table closest to the doors. Everyone inside the room was being strangely quiet. In fact, the tension was so thick that you could have cut it with a knife.

Victoria opened her mouth and was about to open the door to make her presence known, but paused when Sally spoke.

"We're all thinking it," she said tersely. "Don't pretend like none of you are disturbed by it."

"Are you sure she's really the cause?" Martha asked.

She was a woman with shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes. Unlike the others in the room, she'd only been working at the orphanage for a few weeks. Everything was still relatively new to her.

"I'm sure you've seen strange things happen when she's around," Sally said.

A frown appeared on Victoria's lips. She knew without the benefit of a doubt that they were talking about (Name).

"I-I have," Martha said as she hesitantly nodded her head. "Isn't it possible though that there's something else causing it?"

"No," Annabelle said with a grave look on her face.

"Whenever something odd happens, she's always around," Rose said.

She was a tall woman with chocolate-colored skin and dark brown eyes. Her thick black hair puffed out and reached her shoulders.

"Things also go straight over to her if things fly through the air," Annabelle began to explain further. "Then there was one time I caught her flying around in Victoria's office. That's what really made us realize she was the one causing everything around here."

"That's impossible!" Martha said with an incredulous look on her face. She obviously thought they'd all lost their minds. "People don't fly!"

"Sally and I even saw her turn one of the other children's skin green," Rose said.

"What?" Martha said in shock.

"It's true," Sarah said softly with a nod. "I also saw it from the cafeteria windows."

"They were fighting then suddenly, in the blink of an eye, she retaliated by changing his skin color," Rose said. "We were worried it would never change back."

"How could she possibly do something like that?" Martha asked in bewilderment.

"She's a freak, that's how!" Sally exclaimed.

Victoria tensed as the room fell silent from the red-haired woman's outburst.

Freak?

 _The sun was about to set as Victoria walked hand in hand with both of her parents. They were walking through a quiet part of town, searching for her eight-year-old brother. He was supposed to have already been home from school, but he never turned up. Her parents decided to search for him by retracing his steps to school after a few hours, hoping to find him on the way._

 _"What's wrong, freak?" they heard a boy say spitefully from a nearby alleyway. "Can't do another trick? You seemed to love doing them at school."_

 _Another boy suddenly yelped in pain, and the three of them paused. They knew that voice from anywhere. It was Fred's._

 _Victoria and her parents quickly ran towards the entrance of the dimly lit alleyway to investigate what was going on._

 _The sight that greeted them as they entered it made the family freeze. A boy with short, messy brown hair was lying in a ball on the ground with five boys his age surrounding him, kicking and stomping on him relentlessly. His only defense was his pale hands that were covering his face. He was beaten and bloody from their brutal onslaught._

 _"Fred!" Victoria and her mother shouted in horror and alarm when one of the boys suddenly stomped down on the side of his head._

 _The boys quickly stopped what they were doing and immediately looked over at them in surprise. Victoria and her parents stared at them in shock. They recognized everyone there. They were supposed to be Fred's friends._

 _"Run!" one of them shouted with fear in his voice._

 _The group quickly bolted down the alleyway to make their escape._

 _"YOU BASTARDS!" her father bellowed as he rushed forward to pursue them in a fit of rage._

 _"Charles!" her mother called out to him in alarm. "Don't!"_

 _Her father was too angry to listen to reason. He continued to follow after the boys who had hurt Fred as if she hadn't said anything. Victoria and her mother could only watch as he and the five boys disappeared into the darkness moments later when the sky turned completely dark._

 _A soft sob brought their attention back to Fred, who was still lying on the ground._

 _"Freddy!" Victoria shouted with worry as she and her mother raced to his side._

 _Her mother quickly took him into her arms and held him close. His body shook as he cried with his face buried in her chest..._

Pain entered Victoria's heart because of the memory.

Fred's friends suddenly turned on him once they found out what he could do and began to bully him. That one particular time was still engraved in her mind. It haunted her. Things were never the same after they hurt him that night. Her family moved to protect him and start anew, but he never recovered after what happened. It broke him beyond repair.

The memory of that night was another reason why she felt so protective of (Name). She didn't want anything like what happened to her brother to happen to her. History couldn't be allowed to repeat itself.

"It's no wonder her parents decided to drop her off here," Sally said, bringing Victoria's attention back to her. "I'd do the same thing if I was in their shoes. How can Victoria stand being with her day in and day out? She must be out of her mind to want to watch over her all the time."

"You know how she is," Rose said with displeasure in her voice. "She adores the little weirdo."

Victoria could feel her anger slowly increasing with every word. It took everything she had not to barge into the room to tell them off.

How dare they talk about her like that! They didn't know what they were talking about, bloody tossers!

"Is there a way we can deal with her?" Martha asked. "We obviously can't have her continuing to do whatever it is she's doing. She'll scare the other orphans."

A shocked expression appeared on Victoria's face.

Deal with her? What the hell does she mean by that?!

"If Victoria was smart," Sally said, "she'd inform the government. I know I would if I was the head caretaker of this place."

"The government?" Sarah asked in shock, wording the very same question that went through Victoria's mind.

The others in the room had enough decency to look stunned by the suggestion as well.

"I'm sure one of their secret agencies would be interested to know about the situation. The little monster would be taken off our hands so they could see what makes it tick."

 _It?_

Anger surged through every fiber of Victoria's being.

How dare she! How could she even suggest such a thing?! (Name) was not a monster, and she certainly wasn't a freak or a weirdo! She was a sweet, innocent four-year-old child for hell sake! This entire meeting is complete and total bullocks! (Name) was different, that's all! Was her difference reason enough to be so frightened of her?! Was it really enough to condemn her?!

Victoria slammed open one of the cafeteria doors in a fit of rage. Everyone in the room jumped in surprise and looked over at her as she marched towards them.

"V-Victoria!" Annabelle said in shock.

"LUCKY FOR (NAME), YOU AREN'T!" Victoria bellowed at the top of her lungs as she put her face close to Sally's. "You don't even deserve to work here if you're willing to suggest doing something as atrocious as that!"

Sally's face turned red in anger as she stood up and slammed her hands down onto the table.

"You're the one who's in the wrong!" she shouted back. "What about the orphans and us?! If we allow that monster to-!"

"She's not the monster, you are!" Victoria shouted in response. "You're suggesting to harm an innocent four-year-old girl!"

"Innocent?!" Sally said in disbelief. "She is nothing of the sort! She's a freak!"

"That's it!" Victoria shouted at her, completely fed up. "You're fired!"

It was already bad enough that Sally had called (Name) that when she didn't think Victoria was listening, but now she had enough nerve to say it to her face?! She was even trying to use it as a way to justify hurting her! It was more than Victoria could stand! She'd had enough! She wasn't going to tolerate anyone calling (Name) a freak, and she certainly wasn't going to let anyone get away with suggesting to harm her!

Sally froze and looked at her in surprise.

"What?" she whispered.

"You heard me," Victoria said with a cold expression on her face. "You're fired. I want you to take all of your belongings out of your room and leave this instant."

"You've gone mad!" Sally shouted. "You're actually taking that freaks side?!"

"Leave!" Victoria shouted as she pointed at the open doorway.

Sally was silent for a moment then glared at her.

"Fine," she said before marching out of the room.

Victoria looked over at everyone sitting at the table.

"I'll make your lives a living hell if any of you daft cows do anything to her," she threatened.

They silently stared at her with wide eyes as she turned her back to them and marched out of the room.

It wasn't long before she reached her room again. She was quiet as she opened her bedroom door and tiptoed inside the lamp-lit room. (Name) was still tucked underneath the covers of their shared bed with a peaceful look on her small face.

She forced herself to calm down as anger threatened to rear its ugly head again.

Her co-worker's reaction to (Name)'s abilities was something she should have expected. Many other people would not be optimistic about what (Name) could do either. They would react badly as everyone else had. The thought brought up more concerns she'd been trying to avoid thinking about. What would happen if she was adopted? How would her adoptive family treat her once they saw her abilities? It worried Victoria that someone might end up doing something to her. She knew people sometimes overreacted when they encountered things they didn't understand or frightened them. Sally even went as far as to want to give her to the government as a guinea pig.

Victoria quietly walked over to her side of the bed and climbed inside it. She wrapped her arms around (Name)'s small form to hold her close.

What could she do to stop (Name) from having the same fate as her brother?

The question plagued her mind during the following week. She knew she had to find some sort of solution to the problem. Her fellow employees may know about it, but she needed to prevent anyone else from finding out.

After two weeks, she came up with only one answer. She had to tell (Name) what was going on and persuade her to stop using her abilities. It was a conversation she was dreading. (Name) already sensed that something was wrong, she'd asked her about the other caretakers' behavior a few months ago, but she didn't want to burden her with the fact everyone was afraid of her. Victoria also didn't want to force her to hide what she could do. It was just as much a part of her as it was her brother. She knew, however, that it was the only way she could protect her.

Victoria was sitting at her office desk, looking up at the ceiling. Her thoughts wouldn't let her concentrate on her work. She was too busy thinking about the little girl who was sitting on the floor trying to piece together a puzzle Victoria purchased for her a few days ago.

It's already been a few days since she made her decision, and it was proving to be a difficult task. She can't count the times she's tried to speak with (Name), but every time she loses her nerve. Last night she promised herself that she'd talk to (Name) today about it, no matter what. So far, however, today seems to be turning out like all the others. She's just couldn't seem to bring herself to do it.

A light knock on her office door made her look away from the ceiling.

"Come in," she called while staring at the door.

When it opened, Annabelle nervously stepped into the doorway.

All her fellow employees have been apprehensive around her ever since she fired Sally. They were afraid to incur her wrath. She didn't mind. At this point, she didn't really care if she was able to get along with them. She was still mad at them for what they said about (Name) when they didn't know she was listening. She also had too much on her mind to worry about anything other than protecting (Name).

"Dinner's ready," Annabelle informed her with a soft voice.

"Okay," Victoria said with a stiff nod.

"What is it?" (Name) asked as she stood up.

Annabelle gave (Name) a nervous glance, clearly afraid to answer the question and worried the four-year-old would do something strange.

"Goulash," she whispered.

(Name) gasped in excitement as she quickly looked at Victoria expectantly.

The woman standing in the doorway took her chance to close the door as she rushed to get away as fast as she could.

Victoria frowned.

"Misses Staley?" (Name) asked in concern as she made her way towards her.

Victoria's chocolate brown eyes moved over to the little girl who was now standing next to her. She stared at her for a moment as she brushed her hand through (Name)'s soft hair, her thoughts going over what happened the night she fired Sally and the way Annabelle just acted.

She had to do this. She had to tell her now.

Victoria took a few deep breaths to calm herself and steel her resolve.

She couldn't procrastinate any longer. She was doing the right thing.

"(Name), I need to talk to you about something before we head to dinner," Victoria said to her kindly.

"What is it?" (Name) asked in confusion.

Victoria decided to grab her hands and held them.

"I want you to promise me that what I'm about to say doesn't leave this room, okay?"

She didn't want anyone else to know about or hear their conversation. (Name) was already alienated enough by the caretakers without the other orphans doing it too.

"Okay," (Name) immediately agreed with a worried look on her face.

They were quiet for a moment before (Name) spoke again.

"Am I in trouble?"

A small smile appeared on Victoria's lips.

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "You're not in trouble..." she paused as the smile fell from her lips then finally continued while staring directly into (Name)'s eyes, "Do you remember asking me about the way the others were acting towards you?"

(Name) silently nodded her head.

"Do you also remember what I said?" Victoria inquired.

"You told me not to worry about it," (Name) said.

"I brushed your worries aside and changed the subject," Victoria corrected bluntly without sugarcoating her actions. She knew what she'd done, and she was going to own up to it. "I thought it was better to do that than tell you the truth, but I've decided I was wrong. I should have told you why they've been acting strangely towards you. You deserve to know. I'm sure it's still bothering you, isn't it?"

"Yes," (Name) replied softly.

Victoria was silent for a moment then finally gathered up all of her willpower to speak.

"They're afraid."

"Afraid?" (Name) asked in confusion. "What are they afraid of?"

"You," Victoria admitted with a frown.

"Me?" (Name) asked in surprise. "Why?"

"They're afraid of you because of your powers."

"But you told me they were a gift," she said with a perplexed look on her face. "Why would they be afraid?"

"They are a gift, but unfortunately not everyone thinks as I do," Victoria said sadly. "You're the only person they've ever seen who can make objects float into the air, unlock and open cabinets and drawers without touching them, fly, or turn people green. Because of that, they're afraid of you and your powers. They fear what they don't understand."

"Are you afraid?" (Name) asked sadly with worry in her eyes.

"No," Victoria immediately said with conviction. "I'll always believe you're gifted. You're special."

A relieved expression appeared on (Name)'s face in response.

"However," Victoria continued softly, tucking a few strands of (Name)'s hair behind her ear, "because everyone becomes afraid when you use them, I want you to limit how much you use your powers. I know it's hard at times to control when you use them, but I want you to at least try to use them only when we know we're going to be alone. Can you do that for me?"

"I'll try," (Name) promised.

"Good," Victoria said before she kissed her forehead affectionately. "That's all I ask."

This was the only way. No matter what, she wasn't going to allow anything to happen to her.

* * *

 _ **END OF CHAPTER NOTE:**_

 ** _This is the end of the updated version of this story. I'll delete this message once the next part is published._**

 ** _Thank you for reading!_**


	5. Chapter 1: The Meeting

**A/N:**

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

I suddenly had this plot bunny come to me out of nowhere and I couldn't stop myself from writing it. I hope everyone likes it! It was originally going to be a one-shot but I decided once it reached 24,000+ words it would be too long and broke it apart.

Tell me what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The Meeting**

I felt nervous as I stared at the solid brick wall in front of me in the train station. The only reason why I knew where to go was because I had seen a large group of redheads run through it only moments before. After I had taken a deep breath, I charged forward and went through the wall as I tightly closed my (e/c) eyes. I stopped running when I was sure I was through it and hesitantly opened my eyes again.

Excitement rushed through me when I saw I was on platform 9 ¾. Other children who were my age were with their parents, and I saw older students from Hogwarts School Witchcraft and Wizardry walking around as they greeted their friends. A part of me still didn't believe it was possible I was here.

A few weeks ago a man named Albus Dumbledore had suddenly appeared at the orphanage I was living in and informed me I was a witch. At first I took great offense by the name calling, and he could tell by the sour look on my face. He quickly assured me he wasn't trying to offend me and explained what was going on. By the time it was over, I couldn't stop myself from feeling amazed by what I had just been told.

It was purely by chance I was allowed to be here. According to him, the only people allowed at Hogwarts were the ones who could perform magic. He said I was a Muggle-born witch. When I had asked him what that meant, he told me people who couldn't perform magic were called Muggles in the wizarding world. I was someone who had the ability to perform magic even though my parents couldn't. It wasn't very common, but it did happen. For the first time in my life, I felt special.

I didn't really know anything about my parents. If they could perform magic, I would never know. They died when I was only a baby. I don't remember them. However, Dumbledore seemed to be pretty certain they couldn't so I trusted him.

There were already so many things I had seen and experienced in this hidden world of magic that I never thought were possible. I had my first experiences at Diagon Alley. I was able to get a wand, my school supplies, some robes and even an owl. Dumbledore had been kind enough to pay for everything since I didn't have any money to speak of. Wizards had their own currency that I didn't completely understand yet.

The large red train on the tracks gave a warning horn to tell everyone it was almost time to disembark for Hogwarts and knocked me from my thoughts. A small smile appeared on my lips and I walked over to it. I gave a man who worked on the train my things and then headed inside of it along with the few stragglers who were still on the platform.

Since I was alone, I silently observed everything that was going on around me. A part of me was hesitant to sit down with other people. The moment I showed any signs of magical abilities while I was at the orphanage, I had been deemed a freak. The people I had once called friends shunned me. It wasn't like everyone here wasn't able to perform magic but it still made me feel nervous.

While I was walking down the hallway to find an empty train compartment, I suddenly bumped into someone as they walked out of one of them. My eyes widened as I made a sound of surprise. I took a couple of steps back to steady myself and then looked at the person I had accidentally bumped into.

"Sorry." I said shyly.

The boy who was standing in front of me had piercing grey eyes and slicked back white-blonde hair. It was safe to assume he was also my age.

He stared at me in surprise for a moment before a confident smirk appeared on his lips and he extended his hand out towards me.

"I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

"(First Name) (Last Name)." I said as I shook his hand.

"Were you looking for somewhere to sit?"

"Yes, but all the compartments seem to have someone already in them."

"Do you want to sit with us?" he offered as he motioned to the two large boys behind him.

"Can I really?" I asked in surprise.

"Yes. I wouldn't offer if you couldn't."

"Sure." I said with a bright smile.

The train ride there was fun. I had the chance of seeing and tasting different kinds of candy from the trolley cart that Draco purchased for us. Draco also talked all about how he planned on being sorted in Slytherin like generations of his family had been. Apparently he came from an old wizarding pureblooded family. I didn't entirely know what he was talking about, but I listened to him anyway.

"What house to do want to be in? Surely you don't want to be in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff." he suddenly asked me.

I wasn't sure what to say at first as I thought about the question. If he didn't think the other houses were all that great, then maybe they weren't. I didn't completely understand what this house business was, but I wouldn't mind being in the same one as him. He didn't seem like he was too bad. He did offer to let me be with them during the train ride.

"I wouldn't mind being in the same one as you, if it's possible." I said honestly.

I could tell he was extremely pleased by my answer while he stared at me with satisfaction on his face.

"I knew you weren't daft."

A shy smile appeared on my lips in response.

That was the closest thing to a compliment I've ever received.

I almost stood up in the small magical boat I was in the moment my eyes caught sight of the grand castle that was going to be my school. In fact, I would have if Draco wouldn't have managed to stop me. It was probably a good thing he did though I would have more than likely tipped the boat over because of my excitement.

He looked at me with amusement as I stared at the castle in amazement. The place seemed like it was something you could only read about in story books. Yet, here I was next to Draco and all of it was real.

Professor McGonagall explained the sorting Draco talked about on the train when we finally made it inside. We were all going to be sorted in different houses that competed against each other in order to obtain the House Cup at the end of the year. There were four houses Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin. I was hoping I would end up in whatever house Draco ended up in. He was the first friend I've made while I was here and I didn't want to be separated from him.

I felt excitement rush through me as Draco and I walked through the doors of the Great Hall for the first time along with all the other first years.

Only moments before, Draco had been talking to a boy named Harry Potter. For some reason everyone seemed to know who the boy was like he was some sort of celebrity. I was probably the one person who didn't know. It wasn't really at the top of my list of to do's to find out either. All I really seemed to be able to focus on were the amazing things around me.

The girl in front of me had thick brown bushy hair. She stated the ceiling was bewitched to look like the night sky. Apparently she had read all about it in our school book "Hogwarts: A History."

I looked up and the second my eyes caught sight of it, my eyes widened in amazement and wonder. It really did look like the night sky. Hundreds of candles were also floating high up in the air above the four extremely long tables in the room.

When we made it to the other side of the Great Hall, I hadn't been paying attention and accidently bumped into the girl in front of me. At the same time I simultaneously stepped on the back of her shoe.

"Ow! You stood on my foot!" she said.

"Sorry." I muttered embarrassed as everyone looked over at us.

Draco looked at me in amusement and spoke.

"You have a bad habit of not watching where you're going."

A blush appeared on my cheeks and I quickly looked in front of me as I ignored his comment. I noticed Dumbledore in the middle of the long staff table, and he gave me a smile and nod in acknowledgement that I gladly returned. There was a wooden stool next to Professor McGonagall with a worn-out brown pointy hat on top of it. I made a sound of amazement when it suddenly began singing.

 _"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,_  
 _But don't judge on what you see,_  
 _I'll eat myself if you can find_  
 _A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,_  
 _Your top hats sleek and tall,_  
 _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
 _And I can cap them all._

 _There's nothing hidden in your head_  
 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
 _So try me on and I will tell you_  
 _Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_  
 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_  
 _Set Gryffindors apart;_

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,_  
 _Where they are just and loyal,_  
 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_  
 _And unafraid of toil;_

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_  
 _if you've a ready mind,_  
 _Where those of wit and learning,_  
 _Will always find their kind;_

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin_  
 _You'll make your real friends,_  
 _Those cunning folks use any means_  
 _To achieve their ends._

 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_  
 _And don't get in a flap!_  
 _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_  
 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

After it had finished its song, it was time for the sorting. The song made me think of the other houses, but I decided Slytherin was really where I did want to be. It said I would make real friends there.

Draco was one of the first people sorted and he was quickly placed into Slytherin.

"(First Name) (Last Name)!" Professor McGonagall called out after a little while.

I walked forward and sat down on the bench in front of everyone in the Great Hall.

 _"Ah, you're certainly an interesting one. You really think you want to be in Slytherin?"_ the sorting hat asked in my mind.

 _"Yes."_ I said in my mind as I nodded.

 _"Are you sure? You certainly have cleverness, resourcefulness, ambition, determination, and an extreme wish to have friends. However, you could also be in Gryffindor. There is a deep bravery I sense within you, daring, and nerve."_

 _"I want to be in Slytherin."_ I said firmly.

 _"Hm..."_ it said in thought.

It was quiet for a moment as it thought to itself.

 _"I think I know exactly where to put you then. The path you have chosen will not be an easy one, but it may do you well to have some adversity."_ it finally said.

The sorting hats words confused me, but it shouted out at everyone in the Great Hall before I could ask it anything.

"Slytherin!"

The Slytherin table burst out into applause as McGonagall took the sorting hat off my head. Draco had a smile on his face and forced his friend Crabbe to move over so I would have a place to sit. When I looked over at Dumbledore, he had a thoughtful expression on his face as he stared at me. It wasn't one I was sure I liked.


	6. Chapter 2: Adversity

**A/N:**

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter everyone! Please tell me what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Adversity**

I was excited about the new opportunity life had given me and was looking forward to the school year. Everything went well for about a month until I found myself singled out by a handful of Slytherins. Most of them had been my friends. However, the moment I told everyone I was a Muggle-born witch they turned their backs on me and could only look at me with disgust. Draco was one of them...

The sorting hats words hit me full force the moment they began to bully me. It had given me the chance to be in a different house and yet I hadn't taken it because I wanted friends. What I received wasn't real friends as the song had claimed, it was adversity and it wasn't just "some" it became an every day part of my life.

They treated me the same way they treated Hermione Granger once she became friends with Harry Potter. She had one luxury I didn't have. She was able to escape it since she had a different common room and friends in her house. As a result of the bullying, the few other friends I had also stopped talking to me. They didn't want to be bullied or deal with someone who was going to make them look bad. Everything I felt like I had gained I had lost in an instant. It felt like I was at the orphanage all over again.

I didn't say anything while they bullied me through the entire first two years of my schooling. During that time I came up with ways to avoid them and tried to make sure I stayed in the library as much as I could. The only thing I had to do was my homework, so I engrossed myself in it. No one in the other houses would have anything to do with me either because I was a Slytherin. They didn't trust me. I was completely alone.

Then my third year came, and everything seemed to only get worse.

On the way to Hogwarts the Dementors approached me on the train and as a result I fainted. I was ridiculed even more because of it. It happened another time during the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. They suddenly appeared out of nowhere and one decided to come up to me.

I always felt horrible when they were around and afterwards. All I could feel was utter despair if they were near me and then I felt weak and fragile when everything was over. During both of my encounters with them, I heard a man and a woman scream. Something deep down told me it was my parents. I didn't like it. The only memory I had of them was filled with their screams of horror.

There was also the form my Boggart took. It wasn't something I could completely understand and yet at the same time there was a deep-rooted fear of it. The form it took was a rat. I've always been afraid of them ever since I was a young child. The Slytherins made sure to comment on it and usually made sure there was one hidden somewhere for me to find.

A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I begrudgingly gathered up all of my things and placed it all inside of my bag. Madam Pince, the librarian of Hogwarts, always forced me to leave to have dinner with everyone. She knew I was always here and made it a point to find me if she didn't see me leave the library for the Great Hall. In fact, I had a table inside of the library that had become mine during the last few years.

I wasn't looking forward to dinner. I really wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone at the moment, but I did as she asked anyway. My intention was to eat and then go back to the library to work on more of my homework.

Over the course of several days, I haven't been able to get much sleep because of the stress I was under. We all had been given so much homework it was almost unbearable. The bullying I had to deal with was reaching an all time high and quite frankly I was sick of it. At night my mind also seemed to love playing over my parents screams unless I was preoccupied by something. When it came to the last one, today had been a particularly bad day. That's why I was in such a foul mood. It was the main reason why I hadn't been able to sleep.

I didn't tell anyone about my sleeping problems. The last thing I needed was more ridicule because I couldn't sleep. I knew someone would find out about it if I went to Madam Pomfrey and asked for a sleeping draught. The orphanage at least allowed me to have some reprieve inside of my own room. Here I didn't have that luxury. I was forced to share a dorm with Parkinson, Bulstrode, Davis, and Greengrass. They'd catch sight of the potion and take it away from me before I could even try to use it. Then they'd come up with some ridiculous reason why I was taking it and tell everyone else.

As usual, I was the last one to make it into the Great Hall. All of the professors were already at the staff table on the other side of the room eating with the exception of Madam Pince. She had just entered the room through the teacher's door. Dumbledore took one look at me and I knew from the frown on his face he was worried. He always seemed to be able to see right through me even when I was trying my best to keep my expression calm.

"Look, it's the filthy Mudblood. Run into any Dementors or rats along the way?" Malfoy asked as I walked past him.

I tried ignoring him as his group laughed loudly until I heard him whisper a tripping spell. Next thing I knew I was laying flat on my stomach on the floor. Most of the Slytherins laughed and everyone else in the other houses were trying to decide if they were amused or not.

I was overcome by embarrassment due to the fact he had humiliated me in front of the entire school. More so than that however, I was overcome by anger.

With anger coursing through every part of my being, I pushed myself up onto my hands and knees and then quickly stood up.

"That's it!" I shouted angrily as I turned around to look at him.

As I looked at Malfoy with contempt, he decided to stand up and stood in front of me with a confident smirk on his lips. He seemed almost amused by my reaction. Everyone else in the room fell completely silent as they looked over at us.

How many times do I have to go through his ridicule, and everyone else's? What had I ever done to deserve something like this? Was it just my fate to end up being the person everyone liked to pick on? Well, I for one have had enough of it! He wasn't going to get away with it anymore and neither was anyone else! I may be a "Mudblood" as he calls me but I am a witch. One who, even if she's quiet and tends to let others do what they want, will eventually stand up for herself.

I pulled out my wand and put the tip of it close to his face. A feeling of satisfaction went through me as he looked at my wand with fear and shock. The feeling was short lived however, his friends decided to pull out their wands as well as they stood up.

Everyone in the school was watching the spectacle play out in front of them, including the professors. I knew if I didn't do something now I would never have my chance to. However, instead of the expected spell I decided to slap him as hard as I could. It was one of the most satisfying things I had ever done.

He and everyone else hadn't been expecting it and his friends didn't entirely know what to do. His eyes were wide as he took a few steps back. He was completely silently as he stared at me in disbelief and held his cheek.

"You...! You...! I'm sick and tired of you! If you think I'm just going to let you continually ridicule me, then you have another thing coming! I refuse to let you do anything else to me without retaliating! You foul, evil little cockroach!" I roared out.

I was so angry I almost couldn't speak properly.

"You...! You slapped me!" he shouted back indignantly.

"Of course I did, you dung sniffer!"

"How dare you!"

The fact he actually had enough nerve to be angry just sent me over the tipping point. I looked around for something to throw at him and saw the food on the Slytherin table. Without hesitation I grabbed a pie and then smashed it, pie tin and all, into his face.

"Here's the Muggle way of doing things you bastard!" I shouted.

I threw my wand to the side and slammed my body into his. He and I fell to the floor, and I punched and smacked him over and over again. It wasn't much later that the professors managed to get over to us. They had to fight me as they pulled me off of him. I still tried to do something to him and attempted to kick at his beat up form that was still on the floor.

"Let me go so I can kick his ass!" I shouted at Hagrid who was holding me back.

"Miss (Last Name)!" Professor McGonagall shouted aghast.

Every student in the Great Hall looked at me as if I was some sort of anomaly while I continued to struggle against his vice grip. Malfoy slowly managed to get back up onto his feet and looked at me angrily.

"Wait until my father hears about this!" Malfoy shouted his threat.

"Oh man up you pathetic pansy! You shouldn't have pissed me off and started bullying me when we were supposed to be friends if you didn't want to face the consequences! This is nothing compared to the shit you've made me go through! You and your father can kiss my-!"

Snape quickly used a silencing charm on me to prevent me from yelling at him further and throwing more foul language his way.

That encounter was the first of many that resorted in my detention and many threats from Malfoy informing me that his father would hear about it.


	7. Chapter 3: Questions

**A/N:**

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter everyone! Please tell me what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Questions**

The bullying became worse after I slapped him but unlike before I retaliated like I promised I would. I became quite good at charms, hexes, and jinxes during that time. There was rarely a day I didn't need to use them.

During the next year Hogwarts held the Triwizard Tournament, a dangerous competition between the three wizarding schools in Europe. It was an extremely eventful year in both good and bad ways. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Alastor Moody, turned Malfoy into a ferret. I rather enjoyed myself when that happened.

The only time I wasn't ridiculed that year was when everyone was at the Yule Ball, everyone except me that is. I was never asked to go with anyone. It didn't really surprise me either. I was sure my fights with Malfoy stopped anyone from wanting to.

There was a small part of me that did wish I could go but I knew that wasn't possible. I didn't have enough money for a ball gown and didn't have any friends to enjoy the night with. I would only be a wall flower who watched everyone else have fun. Instead, I decided to enjoy my night by quietly reading a book and completely engrossing myself in the story. The way I was going to spend the night, I knew, would be more enjoyable than if I went.

The end of the year was filled with sorrow for everyone. During the last challenge of the tournament Cedric Diggory, a boy from Hufflepuff, was killed while competing with Potter who had managed to also compete somehow. We all also found out that our professor Alastor Moody wasn't Moody at all. He was a well-known Death Eater named Barty Crouch Jr. who was impersonating as Moody.

My fifth year was one I really didn't like. Malfoy became a bloody prefect and abused his powers as much as he could. There were many occasions I ended up in Umbridge's office because of something I did to him. Even though he always caused those incidences, he always seemed to get off scot-free.

It was obvious she hated me. I was forced to use her Black Quill as punishment and after a while a scar formed on my right hand. The scar was the words she had forced me to write every time I was there.

 _I will not tarnish Slytherin House._

I never told anyone what she was doing. It wouldn't have done me any good. That much was obvious. She had practically taken over how the whole school ran because of her rules and the power the Ministry had given her. There was a time she even managed to throw Dumbledore out of his position as Headmaster. Thank god it was only temporary. She was eventually thrown out, and everything was able to go back to normal.

My sixth year began like usual. I dealt with the regular bullying, and Malfoy seemed even more pompous than before. I wasn't sure how that was possible after his father had been sent to Azkaban for his involvement with the Death Eaters but it was. However, later in the year suddenly everything changed. His bullying completely stopped. At first I expected him to try to do something to me, anything, but nothing actually happened. There were no hidden schemes and for once it was relatively quiet. Sure I had the occasional insult from Parkinson, but it was nothing like it was before.

The dorm room was almost completely dark while I lied awake in my bed. It was one of those nights where I found myself unable to sleep. After a little while, I quietly climbed out of my bed and grabbed a book from my trunk. I headed down the stairs to get to the empty common room with it in my hand. What greeted me however wasn't an empty common room. Much to my dismay the idiotic ferret was sitting on the very same couch I normally would sit in to read until I could fall asleep.

I hadn't intended to let it out, but a groan escaped my lips and he was automatically aware of my presence. What I hadn't been expecting was the lost look on his face. He seemed like he was going to have some sort of break down. He looked strangely vulnerable. That vulnerability quickly disappeared but nonetheless it had been there.

It wasn't like I hadn't noticed his strange behavior before this. The second he stopped bullying me I would occasionally look over at him to make sure he wasn't going to do something to me. Whenever I looked at him though, I saw someone who was extremely preoccupied by his thoughts. He didn't have his usual confidence. He stopped abusing his prefect powers. He had even stopped playing Quidditch. As a matter of fact, he didn't really seem like he was aware of anything around him.

I hadn't really paid much attention to those details at the time. All I could think about was the fact I was finally able to have some peace and quiet. But now that I'm really looking at him, he didn't look well. He looked extremely stressed out and worried about something. His face had thinned out, and he had dark circles under his eyes. It was obvious he wasn't sleeping or eating properly.

To be honest, it was the only explanation for his behavior that seemed to make any sense. Why else wouldn't he be throwing insults at me right and left? But what could be bothering him so much? It was something he was so worried about he had lost all of his confidence. He had become solitary. Solitary like I was.

"What?" he asked me suspiciously.

"...Are you alright?" I asked before I could stop myself.

He let out a scoff and spoke snidely as he looked at the fire in the fireplace.

"Of course I'm alright."

"Don't take that tone with me you idiotic ferret. It was only a question. Sorry for feeling even the slightest amount of concern over a self-absorbed git such as yourself. Heaven knows I shouldn't. After all the hell you've put me through all these years I shouldn't even be talking to you." I snapped.

His eyes widened in surprise as he looked at me and I decided to speak again.

"Forget I said anything, I'm going back to my room." I said with a huff.

I turned around and went to take a step forward, but something I hadn't been expecting happened before I could.

"Wait." he called out to me.

I didn't move. I couldn't move. It was the way he called out to me. There was a hint of sadness, vulnerability, and maybe even some sort of desperate hidden cry of help.

"...What is it?" I asked softly.

He didn't say anything and I finally turned back around to look at him after a few long moments. It looked as if he was silently debating over something. Vulnerability was on his face once again.

Suddenly, the vulnerability he had completely disappeared and he stood up.

"Forget it." he said in his usual tone as he walked towards the boys dorms.

It wasn't until later that year I realized what had been bothering him. Dumbledore was murdered by the hands of Severus Snape, our very own professor, and Malfoy had been involved with everything that had taken place that night. Death Eaters had managed to get into the school, despite the strong wards it had, and he ran off with them and Snape.

I heard all the details of what exactly happened that night from Potter and his group when they didn't think anyone was listening in on them.

Potter said Malfoy had been assigned a mission by Voldemort to kill Dumbledore. Given the fact his father had been placed in Azkaban because he was a Death Eater, it didn't surprise me. He was simply following in his dearest fathers footsteps. As I thought about it, the more I realized the other strange events that had taken place during the year were more than likely his doing as well. However, a part of me wondered about him and how evil he really was.

The night I found him inside of the common room he looked as if he was going to have a nervous break down. He was so shaken he even considered talking to me, someone he thought was beneath him. I understood now it was because he doubted he could complete his mission. And he didn't. He hadn't been able to kill Dumbledore. It was Snape who made the final blow.

I quickly pushed those thoughts aside. It wouldn't do me any good to dwell on it. Nothing could be done for him now. He had become one of them.

Potter also stated Malfoy had used a Vanishing Cabinet to get the Death Eaters inside with the help of its twin in Borgin and Burkes. Even I had to admit the plan he created had been brilliant. Not many would be resourceful enough to think of something like that especially not Crabbe and Goyle. However, it didn't mean I condoned it. To be honest, I was worried about what was going to happen from here on out. Without Dumbledore around, there was no one left to protect someone like me from the Death Eaters and Voldemort... Hogwarts wasn't safe anymore.


	8. Chapter 4: Captured

**A/N:**

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter! I hope all of you like it!

Please tell me what you think by commenting and giving my story Kudos if you like it!

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Captured**

Over the summer I wasn't entirely sure what was going to be my fate. I was half tempted to remain at the orphanage in order to stay out of trouble. That was the most sensible thing to do since Death Eaters are able to waltz right into the school with ease because of Malfoy. It really made me want to kick his ass. I knew though that since Snape was the one who killed Dumbledore what happened that night would have happened anyway.

The August before the start of the last school year, I was sitting on my bed reading a school book from a previous year to pass the time. Suddenly, the door to my room burst open. My head quickly snapped up and I saw a group of guys walk into my room. An annoyed expression appeared on my face and I spoke as I stood up.

"Who the hell are you?! What gives you the right to suddenly burst into my room?! Get out!"

"We're here to take you to the Ministry. Information came to us from the top that you're a Mudblood."

"Why would the Ministry want to talk to me?" I asked suspiciously.

These guys definitely didn't look like the sort to work for the Ministry. All of them looked and acted like thugs.

"Haven't you heard the news?"

"If I had, I wouldn't be asking." I snapped.

These guys were giving me a bad feeling.

They looked at me with extreme dislike, but the leader of the group spoke anyway.

"The Ministry is undertaking a survey of Mudblood's like you. They don't understand how you managed to get your magical powers."

"What? What do you mean?" I asked with an incredulous look on my face.

"There was research undertaken by the Department of Mysteries revealing that magic can only be passed from person to person when Wizards like us reproduce. If you have no proven Wizarding ancestry, then someone like you obtained your magical power by theft or force."

"That's ridiculous!" I shouted.

"I think that's for the Ministry to decide. They want to interview you to see if you pass the test."

"What will happen if I don't pass?"

"They'll root you out." he said with a sadistic grin.

These guys weren't very smart. If it would have been me in their position, I wouldn't have answered my questions. It's obvious that all of this is a trap. What they're trying to make me go to isn't an interview. It's a trial!

I looked over at my wand on the desk and decided I didn't have much of a choice but to use it. I'm not going to the Ministry without a fight!

"Accio wand!" I shouted.

My wand quickly came to my hand and I yelled out my next spell.

"Immobulus!"

All of them were immobilized. I quickly used a spell on my bag to allow it to hold as much as possible and used another to get all of my things into it. Afterwards, I opened the window to my room and smirked at them.

"You can tell the Ministry to kiss my ass!" I shouted at them.

I quickly climbed out of the window with my bag in hand and ran away from the orphanage as fast as I could.

Since I knew I needed to know what was going on, I headed over to The Three Broomsticks a few days later. The second I arrived I looked around and found myself a newspaper in order to find out what was going on in the Wizarding world. I needed to be prepared for any changes taking place right now.

What I found out wasn't pleasant. A branch of the Ministry had just been created called the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. Their job was supposedly to interview people like me for their survey. As the man had said, they were accusing people like me of stealing our powers by theft or force. The fact the commission wasn't even hiding their intention of doing something to Muggle-born witches was alarming to say the very least. Voldemort had definitely taken over while I was hiding inside of the orphanage.

While I was there, I listened in on the gossip of the others around me. Apparently, there was a group called Snatchers who had been created for the sole purpose of gathering others like me up. I was just one of the lucky ones who managed to get away.

A sigh escaped my lips as I was about to stand up to leave but then the room went completely silent. I looked around in confusion as they looked in my direction until I heard someone clear their throat from behind me. When I turned my head to look back, I was greeted by the familiar sight of pink. My eyes moved up to the persons face and Dolores Umbridge giggled with her sickening sweet smile on her lips.

Running was my very first reaction and I quickly stood up and shoved her to the floor. I ran towards the nearest exit of the pub which happened to be the one leading directly into Diagon Alley. As quickly as I could, I ran through the door and slammed shut it behind me then used a spell to lock it. I turned around and tapped on the bricks of the wall leading to Diagon Alley to make them move out of the way.

My heart was racing inside of my chest as I ran down the long pathway between the shops. There were quite a few people walking around, and I was hoping to get lost in the crowd. One of the people, unfortunately, was a familiar white-blonde haired boy.

"How dare you?!" I heard Umbridge shout angrily from behind me.

Everyone looked over at her and she shouted again.

"Catch that girl! She's a Muggle-born witch trying to escape from the law!"

Malfoy's eyes widened in shock the moment he caught sight of me and the blonde woman next to him quickly raised her wand.

"Incarcerous!" she shouted.

My eyes widened in alarm when ropes flew from her wand and bound me. As a result, I fell to the ground and made a grunt of pain.

Leave it to someone who was with Malfoy to stop me from escaping.


	9. Chapter 5: Punishment

**A/N:**

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter! I hope all of you like it!

Please tell me what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Punishment**

I was captured and forced to go to an "interview" with the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. Umbridge seemed a little too happy when she took away my wand and deemed me a criminal.

"Your punishment will be to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"What?" I asked her with an incredulous look on my face.

Everyone else was being sent to Azkaban. Why in the hell was I going to Hogwarts?

"I'll make sure to inform the Headmaster and professors. I'm sure they'll be able to come up with a suitable punishment for your wrong doings." she said with a sickly sweet smile on her face.

"And how exactly am I going to attend class without a wand?" I asked.

"Oh, you're not going there to learn."

I didn't like what she said or the way she said it. There was a hidden threat inside of her sickly sweet voice as she continued to smile at me.

I was forced to stay in Azkaban prison for the remainder of the summer. It was a relief when I was finally let out even if I didn't know what my punishment entailed at Hogwarts. Azkaban was a place I never wanted to experience again. The memory of my parents being killed, something I had managed to push to the back of my mind, had come back full force because of the Dementors.

My memory of that day expanded due to the fact I was always around them. It was something I couldn't decide if I was happy about or if it tormented me even more. I had the chance to hear their laughter and the loving way they talked to me right before they were killed. It had been sudden. There was some sort of explosion that went off before they screamed. It gave me a glimpse of what I could have had and yet it had been taken from me in an instant. The longing I had for them as a result increased tenfold.

I was forced to wear the usual white and black striped prison outfit and had shackles around my wrists and ankles even outside of the prison. My hands, hair, and face were covered with dirt since I hadn't been able to take a shower. It wouldn't surprise me if I also had black circles under my eyes from lack of sleep. The conditions I was under didn't exactly promote it.

Instead of the usual means to get to Hogwarts, I was escorted there by a few Snatchers who worked for the Ministry. They made sure to treat me like a prisoner while I was with them. They threw insults at me occasionally and bullied me to get some sort of response out of me. There wasn't any doubt in my mind that they wanted an excuse to beat me up. I never took the bait. I knew once I made it to the castle I wouldn't have to deal with them anymore. It was a small price to pay to ensure they didn't have a reason to make me go back to Azkaban.

Snape was the one who greeted me at the large front doors of the castle. He looked down at me and I stared straight into his black eyes with a calm expression on my face. I wasn't going to give anyone the satisfaction of knowing how worried I was about my predicament.

"Miss (Last Name)." he greeted me with a nod.

"Snape." I said as I nodded at him.

It was still hard to believe he had been the one who killed Dumbledore. Yet, here he was standing right in front of me as Headmaster of the school.

"You may leave. She won't be able to do anything without a wand, and I'm certain I can handle a mere girl." he said to the Snatchers.

The one to my left suddenly grabbed a hand full of my hair and forcefully pulled my head back. I fought back a flinch, and he spoke into my ear.

"We'll see you later Mudblood."

After that, he shoved me forward and almost made me lose my balance as he and the other Snatcher apparated away from the school.

Snape and I stared at each other for a few moments before he turned around and his robes billowed behind him as he walked forward. I knew I was supposed to follow him and did so without saying anything. The shackles around my ankles and wrists clinked together as we walked down the dark hallways of the usually bright castle. I was led all the way up to his office and it wasn't until he turned around to face me I stopped walking.

"I'm sure you're aware that you're here for punishment?" he asked in his deep cold voice.

"I am."

"Are you prepared for that punishment?"

"Do I have a choice? I'm sure it can't be much worse than Azkaban."

He was silent for a few long moments as he observed me. It almost seemed like he was looking right into my very soul. Afterwards, he suddenly took out his wand and pointed it at the shackles around my wrists.

"Alohomora."

My eyes widened in surprise when they fell from my wrists and he repeated the action to the ones around my ankles.

"You are also aware this is a school correct?"

"Yes?" I said with a perplexed expression on my face.

"And you're also its student correct?"

"I was in previous years." I said with a nod still trying to comprehend what was going on.

He suddenly conjured up some school robes and handed them to me.

"Then go to your house and bathe. You smell disgusting. I expect you to be in the Great Hall with the other students in the morning. The password is Mudblood."

I didn't have to be told twice. A smile broke out onto my face before I could stop it and I ran out of the room as fast as I could.

It was strange he was allowing me to be a student, but I was happy about the turn of events. The excitement died down, however, when I realized I didn't have a wand. Sure I could perform some wandless magic, but I wasn't very good at it. How would I pass my classes if I didn't have one?

The moment I made it to the wall, I said the password and walked into the common room. Even though it was late, there was still one person in front of the fireplace staring into the fire. Malfoy looked over at me and his eyes widened in shock.

I immediately felt annoyance by the fact he had to be the first person I saw. He was the last person I wanted to see right now.

"Of course it had to be you I saw didn't it? You didn't expect me to be here after that woman you were with decided to turn me in did you? I'm sure you were happy to see me hauled off to be sent to Azkaban right? Glad to finally be rid of me? Jokes on you though I'm here, aren't I?" I asked harshly.

He didn't say anything in response, and I didn't bother waiting for it either. I walked towards the stairs leading to the girl's dormitories and took a bath as Snape told me to. It was nice to finally clean myself up and feel the warm water on my skin. When I was finished, I quietly walked into the dorm room I shared with the other girls in my year and walked over to the bed. For the first time in a month, I was able to sleep in a warm bed and due to my exhaustion it wasn't hard for me to fall asleep.

The next morning, Parkinson and the others were shocked by the fact I was here. So shocked as a matter of fact they couldn't seem to insult me properly. I leisurely walked out of the dorm with my bag full of the school supplies I needed for the day. It was definitely a surprise when I found everything piled up on top of the dresser next to my bed when I woke up. However, it didn't take me long to figure out it was probably because of Snape. After all, it was his idea for me to still be a student even though Umbridge told me I wouldn't be.

I made it down into the common room and the second everyone realized I was here they stopped talking.

"What are you doing here?" Crabbe asked with a repulsed expression on his face.

"Why don't you ask your little friend Malfoy over there? I'm sure he'll love to tell the story. Maybe get a few laughs out of you." I said harshly.

Malfoy couldn't seem to meet my eyes. In fact, he seemed like he was trying to not look at me at all.

I quickly walked out of the common room to get away from the others and headed towards the Great Hall. Every student who caught sight of me looked at me in shock but didn't say anything. I could tell they thought I had gone mad. Even I wasn't entirely sure why I was here. I had a bad feeling in my gut.

When I made it inside of the large room, my eyes narrowed in on the two new people at the staff table. I immediately stopped as I stared at them. They were infamous Death Eaters, Amycus Carrow and Alecto Carrow. Their eyes narrowed in on me and I could see the gleeful and sadistic expressions on their faces. The rest of the staff, except for Snape, was staring at me with horrified expressions. It definitely didn't ease my nervousness of the situation.

A rather large group of Slytherins walked past me and a few made sure to bump into me as hard as they could. Luckily I was able to remain on my feet, but I couldn't stop myself from looking at them extremely annoyed as they sat down at the table. I went to sit down at the Slytherin table when Amycus Carrow spoke.

"Hey you Mudblood! What are you doing?"

I looked over at him in confusion while the Slytherin's snickered and the rest of the students came pouring into the Great Hall.

"What do you mean, sir?" I asked loudly so he would be able to hear me.

"Why are you trying to sit at the Slytherin table? Are you stupid?"

"I've been sitting at the Slytherin table since I was sorted into it seven years ago." I said unamused.

"You were sorted into Slytherin?" his sister Alecto Carrow said in disgust.

"Yes. Do you think I would sit here if I wouldn't have been?" I asked her with a hint of annoyance in my voice.

The Great Hall was completely silent after that. Both Carrow's looked at me with unhappy expressions on their faces.

"Is there something wrong with Slytherin? Do you not find it to your approval?" Amycus asked with a hint of warning in his eyes.

"I think the snake is a very fitting emblem for it."

It was obvious they hadn't been expecting that reply. No one had.

I ignored them and sat down at the table without another word to eat my meal in complete solitude. There weren't as many people coming to school this year so it wasn't hard to have my own table. In a way, I was happy about it. It meant I didn't have to sit next to people who wanted nothing to do with me.

The smell of the food in front of me came to my nostrils, and I looked at it hungrily. My mouth watered and I remembered that the last time I had a decent meal, or half decent one, was when I was at the orphanage. And I made sure to enjoy every single bite.

The first day of my last year ended without too many problems. I couldn't actually perform any spells, but the professors were fairly accommodating towards me. They knew the situation I was in. However, that didn't stop me from trying. It bothered me I couldn't perform spells. Magic was one of the ways I escaped reality.

On the second day I walked into my last class for the day, Defense Against the Dark Arts. Amycus Carrow was standing behind the desk on the other end of the room. A smirk appeared on his lips as he looked at me. He was our new teacher for this class.

I ignored him and made my way over to one of the desks as everyone poured into the room.

"Come here Mudblood." Amycus ordered after everyone was in their seats.

What is he up to? What does he want?

I hesitantly stood up and walked towards the front of the classroom.

"Face everyone." he ordered again.

I did as he asked before he spoke to the rest of the class as he circled around me like a vulture with his wand out.

"Does any know how you should treat a Mudblood like this one?" he asked.

A bad feeling came to my gut but I kept a calm expression on my face. Meanwhile, no one offered him an answer. Most of them had mildly worried expressions on their faces while they stared at me. I could even see something flash through Malfoy's eyes or maybe I had just imagined it.

"Well? Do you?" he asked again as he finally looked at the class.

Parkinson decided to raise her hand.

"Yes Parkinson?"

"I've been told you treat them like the filth they are."

"And how do you do that?"

No one offered an answer to that question. I could tell they were all questioning where this was going, everyone except Crabbe and Goyle anyway. They didn't have the brains to question anything.

"What are the three Unforgivable Curses?" he asked.

What?

I had to fight the surprise and alarm I felt from coming to my face. A few of the students who had been looking at me with worry didn't. They understood exactly where this was going, and they looked at me horrified.

Crabbe quickly raised his hand. The bastard had enough nerve to look excited.

"The Imperius Curse, the Cruciatus Curse, and the Killing Curse."

"Very good." he said with praise in his voice.

Crabbe smirked and looked around triumphantly.

"Now, I'm aware none of you have had the opportunity to learn how to use these spells. For obvious reasons we won't do the Killing Curse. Not on her anyway. We can't kill our toy after all. However, you should know how to properly use the other two on filth like her by the time you leave this institution."

He looked around the room with a thoughtful expression on his face and spoke.

"Everyone stand up."

They hesitantly did as he asked then he moved all of the desks to the side of the room along with everyone's things.

"Go to the sides of the room. I want to make sure everyone can see."

Everyone hesitantly did as he asked again. He forcefully pulled me by the arm to the center of the room. Once he let go of me, he turned around to face me and pointed his wand at me. I stood in front of him with a guarded expression on my face as my heart raced inside of my chest.

"Let me show you how to use the Cruciatus Curse and how to treat filth properly." he said with a sadistic smile on his face.

I continued to maintain my guarded expression as I stared him straight in the eye.

At this point it was obvious why I was here. I had become an example for all of the students, an example of filth that should be eradicated off the face of the planet. I was their toy to practice on, their practical application. It was his job to teach everyone how to treat someone like me and how to torture someone like me. That was my whole purpose for being here...

I really hate Umbridge. I refuse to show anyone my fear. I refuse to allow anyone to know what I truly feel about what I'm going through at this particular moment.

"Crucio!" he shouted.

My eyes widened as pain that was unlike anything I had ever felt engulfed my body. I immediately screamed out in agony and fell to the floor. The pain of the curse already felt like it was unbearable. It consumed every part of my being. I felt like white-hot knives were piercing every inch of my skin and that my head was going to burst. All I could do was scream out in agony, it was the loudest I had ever screamed in my entire life.

He stopped the spell and spoke to me mockingly.

"Filth like you should have never been allowed to be in Slytherin. You tarnish the house with your sorting."

He yelled out the spell again and pain once again consumed me. I screamed out in agony as tears fell from my eyes and I begged for him to stop. I think I begged anyway. It was too painful to even know what I was doing. The only thing I could think about was the pain.

The spell stopped once again and I let out a sob.

"I didn't like the way you spoke to my sister or me yesterday in the Great Hall. You should be grateful you were allowed to come back here or even had the honor of being sorted into Slytherin."

Once again he yelled out the spell. My screams once again filled the room. I was left to writhe on the floor in agony as tears fell from my eyes.

Why was everyone just standing to the side watching all of this? Why wasn't anyone trying to help me?

When he finally stopped the spell again, I let out a whimper. I wanted to curl up into a ball but I was in too much pain to do it. I just wanted all of this to end.

"We could have left you in Azkaban with the Dementors. You're the only filthy Mudblood who was let back into this school."

He pointed his wand at me again and yelled out the spell. It wasn't until after many more times he used the spell and I felt like I truly would break that he finally stopped. I was fighting to remain conscious as he kicked my side before he spit in my face.

"That's the proper way you torture a Mudblood." he said to the rest of the class.

After that he kicked me again and spoke.

"Get up filth."

I somehow managed to get up off the floor and made it over to my things while all of the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws looked at me with pity. There were even a few Slytherins who gave me the same look.

Class ended right after that and I quickly made my way out of the room before anyone else.


	10. Chapter 6: Promises

**A/N:**

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter! I hope all of you like it! I really liked writing this one!

Please tell me what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Promises**

It was the most difficult time of my life. Every day we had a Defense Against the Dark Arts class I was tortured almost to the brink of insanity. There were a few students like Parkinson, Crabbe, and Goyle that seemed to find joy in everything that happened to me. They were all people who were extremely prejudiced against someone like me. In fact, Crabbe and Goyle were always the first ones to offer to torture me during class for their practical application of the Cruciatus Curse.

Malfoy, surprisingly, didn't join in on the fun. Strangely enough he never raised his wand to me even when Amycus wanted him to. He received a punishment for that along with most of the others in our class who didn't want to torture me.

Our mandatory Muggle Studies classes that were taught by Alecto Carrow were also ones I hated. She made sure to single me out every time and loved to ridicule me. It had become a Muggle bashing class.

Those two classes had become my living hell.

There were quite a few times I tried to escape the castle. I also told off the Carrows on more than just one occasion. As a result, my punishment only became worse but that didn't stop me. I continued to try to escape and I always told them off. I wasn't going to let them walk all over me.

It was extremely difficult for me to learn any spells but eventually with the other professors help I was able to use magic without my wand. After a while, I also learned how to resist the Imperius Curse. Amycus obviously didn't like that very much and tortured me sufficiently that day. Potions class was by far the easiest class I had. When Snape was the teacher, he always did praise me for my potion making abilities. It helped that I always seemed to outshine Granger.

Even with my accomplishments, however, I still wasn't happy for obvious reasons. What had once been was gone. The school had lost its luster. There were no celebrations and there was so much hatred targeted towards me I almost couldn't take it. The only celebrations the school seemed to have were ones involved with torturing me but it was more like hell than anything else. I actually went back to the orphanage for Christmas just to get away from it all. What everyone could do to me there was tame compared to what I was being forced to go through in the wizarding world. I did have Snatchers at my door though to make sure I didn't try to escape. To be honest, it felt like prison.

Malfoy's insults were non-existent. In fact, he seemed to have become something of a shadow of his previous overconfident self. The way he was acting reminded me of the night I found him in the common room. Sure he acted pompous in some cases, but not towards me. It seemed to me like he had decided I was going through enough without him adding to it. His looks of pity I had seen him give me from the corner of my eye were more than enough to tell me that.

After another long day at school, I found myself unable to sleep. My insomnia seemed to become worse now that it was part of my schooling to be tortured. I walked down the stairs and sat down on the couch. There was a book in my hand and I was trying but failing to get lost in the story. My thoughts instead wanted to force me to relieve my daily torture.

Physical torture, however, wasn't the only thing I had to deal. I was extremely lonely. No one dared to associate with me, a Mudblood. At the beginning of the year I had been happy when I had my own table but now it only reminded me of my solitude. It was times like these I wished my parents were still alive. I wanted to hear their laughs in person. I wanted to feel the warmth of their hugs. The fact I could only hear their laughs and the way they lovingly spoke to me before the explosion was tormenting me.

A part of me wanted to end it all. Death would be far more pleasant than this. I wouldn't have to feel pain every day. I wouldn't have to feel so utterly alone... I would simply cease to exist. It wasn't like anyone bothered to care. No one would miss me if I died. In fact, if I died, I'd be able to be with my parents again. That is unless it was true people who committed suicide went to hell.

I stood up and headed into the girl's dormitories. When I came back to the common room, I was holding two vials of liquid. I placed both of them down onto the table in front of the couch and sat down while staring at them. One was liquid luck. I had received it from Professor Slughorn one day during potions class. The other one was a lethal poison I had concocted while no one was paying attention. Liquid luck would ensure nothing would stop me from dying if I took the poison. A deadly combination.

This wasn't the first time I have had thoughts like this. They began in the middle of this year. The torture and loneliness I had to deal with on a daily basis was unbearable. That's why I created the poison two months ago. I made it right after I had come back from the holidays. However, every time I took the two vials down into the common room I never actually went through with it. A part of me still wanted to live but that part of me was dwindling fast. Tonight it felt like it was non-existent.

With a shaky hand I picked up the liquid luck and stared at it.

"What are you doing?" I heard Malfoy say just as I was about to open the vial.

My eyes widened in surprise and I quickly looked over at him. At some point he had come into the room while I was lost in my thoughts. He had even managed to make it over to the couch I was sitting in.

I watched him as he grabbed the other vial on the table and examined it.

"...What is this?" he asked seriously.

"It's nothing." I said as I stood up and tried to grab it.

He quickly pulled it out of my reach and stared at me.

"Really? So if I take it, I won't be poisoned?"

My eyes widened as I looked at him in surprise from the question and my heart raced in my chest.

Why would he ask something like that?

"It's not poison." I lied.

He looked at me for a moment.

"Is it liquid luck then? Should I have a taste of it?"

"No!" I shouted loudly with alarm on my face.

I desperately fought as hard as I could to take it away from him. Unfortunately, he was stronger than I was and bigger so he easily managed to shove me onto the couch. My eyes widened in alarm as I looked at him.

If he drank it, the poison would kill him!

"Don't drink it!" I shouted desperately.

He gave me a long, hard look as he stared at my worry filled face. Then, instead of opening the vial, he threw the poison into the wall on the other side of the room. A look of shock appeared on my face as I heard it shatter to pieces somewhere behind me.

"What...?" I started asking until I froze as he looked down at me again.

There was a serious expression on his face I hadn't seen before.

"Don't lie to me. Why did you make it?"

"How do you...?" I asked with wide eyes.

"I watched you make it at the end of class when you thought no one was looking. What were you planning to do, use it on the Carrows?"

"No." I said softly.

"Parkinson? Crabbe? Goyle?"

"No." I said a little louder feeling mildly alarmed he thought I'd do something like that.

"Were you planning on using it on me but decided to chicken out just now?"

"No!" I shouted with an alarmed look on my face.

"Then who were you planning to use it on?" he asked impatiently.

I opened my mouth, but I couldn't say anything.

"Well?" he asked again with impatience still in his voice.

I looked down at the vial of liquid luck in my right hand and spoke softly.

"The poison was for me. I was going to use the liquid luck Slughorn gave me to ensure the poison would kill me without anyone being able to interfere."

"What?" he asked with shock and disbelief in his voice.

The room was silent for a few long moments until he spoke with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Aren't you a Slytherin? What happened to your self-preservation?"

A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I looked up at him. His eyes widened the moment I made eye contact. I couldn't seem to maintain eye contact though and looked down at the table in front of me. Then I did something I never expected I would do.

"...Do you know what it's like to be so alone that you know no one will even care if you died? You have friends. I don't. What friends I made shunned me either because of my magical abilities or because I'm a Mudblood. I couldn't even make any friends in other houses because I'm in Slytherin. No one trusts me. For years I've been painfully aware of being a Slytherin and the ramifications of it."

Why was I opening up to someone who I loath?

I gripped the liquid luck tightly in my hand as I spoke again with a bitter smile.

"The sorting hat lied you know. During the song, he said I could make real friends in Slytherin. I ended up with nothing except for heartache. He told me it would be good to have some adversity. All I've had is adversity. The only reason why I was sorted in Slytherin was because I asked him to. You were the first friend I made here and I didn't want to be separated from you. Obviously that didn't happen. It didn't matter I was in the same house. All because of my heritage you cast me aside. Then because of your ridicule the other people I had made friends with in Slytherin pushed me away."

He didn't say anything and I didn't give him a chance to as I continued to speak.

"You also have a family who loves you. I don't. There's no one waiting for me to come home when the school year is over. There's no one to celebrate the holidays with. There never has been. I've lived in an orphanage most of my life. Hogwarts was the only place I've ever been able to call home. My parents were killed when I was a baby."

Why am I telling him this? I've never told anyone about my life outside of Hogwarts. I've never told anyone about my parents.

"Did you know the only memory I have of them is right before they died? That's why I always fainted in third year whenever the Dementors were around. I was there when it happened and I didn't realize it until I encountered them for the first time. Every time I'm with them I'm reminded of it. I hear my parents laughing and speaking to me lovingly then there's an explosion and they scream. I want to hear their laughs in person. I want to feel the warmth of their hugs and their love. I long for them so much I can't stand it. The memory only serves as a reminder of what I could have had and yet it had been taken from me in an instant. It torments me to know my only memory of them involves them screaming as they're killed due to the explosion."

Why am I telling him everything that I've bottled up for so long?

"Do you know what it's like to live day after day without a future? The magical world was the only place I had one until You-Know-Who took over. I have nothing anywhere else. Everyone at the orphanage can't wait until I'm old enough to be thrown out onto the streets. When Dumbledore arrived in my room he gave me an opportunity to have something, to be someone. I've lost all of that because of a mad man. A mad man that all of you follow without even blinking an eye because of your prejudice."

I was having problems keeping my voice steady. It was becoming harder and harder to talk and yet I couldn't stop myself.

"When the school year is over, I'm sure I'll be sent to Azkaban. I'll be forced to relive the memory of my parents over and over again and it won't only be for a month. At the very least it will be until the end of summer if they force me to come back here. I wouldn't put it past them. Umbridge does hate my guts. I tarnish Slytherin house according to her and everyone else. She was rather excited to use me as an example of someone who has stolen their magical abilities. It made her extremely happy to know I would be used to show everyone how to treat a Mudblood like me."

I didn't know why I was telling him something so personal. Was it because for some reason, out of everyone here, he had been the first to actually talk to me? Was it because he had actually stopped me from killing myself?

Tears I hadn't known I was repressing came to my eyes as I continued to talk with my voice shaking.

"I can't bear another year like this. I can't bear to deal with the Dementors and the memory they make me relive. Death would be so much easier than what I have to endure on a daily basis. I wouldn't have to be tortured. I wouldn't have to deal with the loneliness of being a Mudblood in Slytherin. I don't want to go through the future I know I'm going to have. There is nothing but suffering. It's better to kill myself to put myself out of my misery while I have the chance, isn't it? No one would miss me. Absolutely no one would care. I'm nothing. I'm no one."

The tears finally fell from my eyes and rolled down my cheeks as I started to cry. I held my upper body in my arms and continued to speak.

"Knowing all of that, what's the point of having any self-preservation? I would simply cease to exist and no one would even shed a single tear. I'd finally be reunited with my parents unless I ended up in hell because I committed suicide." I said with pain in my voice.

I half expected him to say something in response to everything I said but he didn't. Instead, he sat down on the couch next to me and wrapped his left arm around the back of my shoulders. My eyes widened in surprise as I looked over at him. It was hard to see him through my tears. I couldn't actually see his facial expression.

"What are you doing?" I asked with confusion as I continued to cry.

He didn't say anything as he pulled me into his side. I watched him as he lifted his right hand and used it to pull my head onto his shoulder. He didn't have to say anything. I knew what he was offering me. This was the first time someone had offered to comfort me.

Something took over me, and I cried even harder than before. I buried my face into his shoulder and tried to get as close to him as I could by wrapping my arms around him. I clung to him as if he was my lifeline and in this particular case I knew he was.

I was beyond exhausted by the time I was able to compose myself. Having someone here, even if it was Malfoy, brought me comfort I haven't had before and a part of me didn't want to leave his side. So I didn't. I stayed where I was while I continued clinging to him desperately. I didn't really think about his intentions. I didn't really care. All I could think about was the fact he was here with me. That someone was here to comfort me.

We sat there in complete silence for a while. He continued holding me and I occasionally felt him brush his right hand through my hair. It felt strange to have him act so affectionate with me after all the years I've had to deal with his bullying.

"Don't give up." he said softly as he broke the silence.

"What?" I asked softly in confusion.

"Don't kill yourself."

A weak smile appeared on my lips.

"You're the last person I expected to try to tell me not to kill myself."

He grabbed my arms and made me release him. When he shifted his body to face me a little more, I was forced to lift my head off his shoulder. I gazed at him in confusion as he firmly grabbed my shoulders. The serious expression was back on his face while he stared into my eyes.

"Promise me you won't give up." he said sternly.

I stared at him for a few minutes without saying anything.

"Promise me." he ordered.

"I don't understand why you're so adamant about it."

"If you don't promise, I won't let you leave my sight. I'll follow you everywhere you go." he said as I felt his grip on my shoulders tighten a little.

Why was he acting so concerned about me all of a sudden?

"...Fine. If you're going to be so adamant about it, I don't have much of a choice. However, I'll only promise not to give up for this school year. I can't make any promises for when summer comes or afterwards. I'll kill myself before I'm force to go back to Azkaban."

"It won't come to that." he promised.

"I don't know how you can promise something like that."

He didn't say anything but there was a determined look in his eyes. I wasn't entirely sure why he was trying to help me all of a sudden.

He looked at the vial of liquid luck I had dropped onto the couch when I went to hug him and grabbed it.

"I'm taking this from you until the end of the year. You won't need it."

"Don't do anything stupid." I said knowing he was planning on scheming something.

"I'm not a Gryffindor. I'm a Slytherin. I think before I do things." he said with a smirk.

An amused look appeared on my face and I nodded my head.

"That you are."

A yawn suddenly escaped my lips.

"I think I can go to sleep now. I'm sorry for all the trouble. I didn't mean to tell you my sob story. Everything just started coming out, and I couldn't stop it." I said as I stood up.

The moment I reached the stairs leading up to the girl's dormitories, I stopped and looked back at him from over my shoulder as something occurred to me.

"I almost forgot to thank you for listening. I appreciate it. Maybe you're not so bad after all." I said with a small smile on my lips.

His eyes widened in surprise from my statement but before he could respond I headed up the stairs.


	11. Chapter 7: Hope

**A/N:**

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter! I hope all of you like it!

Please tell me what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Hope**

From that night on, our relationship changed. On the occasions I was in the common room in the middle of the night, which were more often than not, I found him there. It didn't bother me he was there like it would have before. Instead, I actually found myself sitting down in front of him on the other couch. He was surprisingly conversational with me during those times. We talked about everything on our minds and whenever I found myself in a particularly dark mood he was able to soothe me. I grew to appreciate his company and the conversations we had. We had, in some strange turn of events, become friends during the nights that I needed one the most.

Then near the end of the year, everything changed. The hopelessness I had deep down inside of me was replaced by hope. Hope that everything would end and hope that I really would have a future.

Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley returned to Hogwarts. Snape and the Carrows were driven out of the castle and the Light had finally managed to regain their control of it. Voldemort tried to get all of us to hand Potter over to him and Parkinson quickly spoke in favor of it. However, I decided right then and there I had nothing left to lose. I had to put all of my hopes in Potter. He was the only chance I had.

"Over my dead body." I spoke boldly.

Everyone in the Great Hall stared at me in shock as I walked out of the line of students and stood in front of Potter protectively. Malfoy seemed particularly horrified. I stared directly into his grey eyes and knew with one look he understood. He knew I had to fight on the side of the Light or face death. His expression was replaced by one of understanding and I could see the cogs in his mind turning.

All of Potters friends quickly followed my lead once they recovered from their shock and stood around him protectively. When Neville Longbottom walked over to me, he put his hand on my shoulder. He gave me a nod of acknowledgement and my eyes widened in surprise. I knew then and there I had actually been accepted and a smile broke out onto my face.

I was the only Slytherin who hadn't been forced to go down into the Dungeons before the fight. Everyone in my year had seen my daily torture. The professors also knew what I had gone through during the year. All of them knew they could trust me and gave me a chance. They also convinced the others who were doubtful of me to do the same.

Neville Longbottom had changed a great deal. He wasn't the same shy, unconfident boy who Malfoy always picked on. He was someone confident in himself and wasn't afraid to speak his mind. That very same boy became someone I was eternally grateful to. Quite a few people didn't think I was trustworthy because I was in Slytherin but he defended me. He was the person most adamant about letting me fight with everyone.

It should be obvious I wouldn't betray them. Anyone with half a mind would realize the position I was in. I felt like I didn't have any other option but to fight with them. I would rather die fighting than be forced to go to Azkaban. I didn't want to go through another year of torture either. It would be better than committing suicide. If I did die, I would die a hero.

Fighting in the war was one of the most trying and terrifying things I ever had to go through. It was difficult to fight against Death Eaters. I also wasn't particularly happy when I saw the corpses of students I had gone to school with lying on the ground. However, the battle was also incredibly fulfilling. It gave me the chance to finally do something against Voldemort and his followers. It allowed me to fight against the very group of people who hated me because of what I was.

"Crucio!" I heard a Death Eater shout from behind me.

Suddenly, excruciating pain went through my body and I screamed out in agony as I fell forward onto the ground. He used the spell several times and cackled as he watched me writhe on the ground in pain.

"Expelliarmus!" I heard someone shout through my screaming.

The pain in my body died down a little before I heard the same voice shout again.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

I heard a body fall to the ground and then footsteps quickly approached me. As I looked up from the corner of my eye, I noticed Malfoy standing there and rolled onto my back. He had chosen the side of the Light.

"I guess I was right after all. You really aren't so bad." I said with a tired smile.

He looked like he wanted to say something as he gazed at me with a surprisingly gentle expression on his face. It was a look on his face I couldn't describe. He decided not to say anything though, instead he helped me back up onto my feet and then we fought side by side against the other Death Eaters.

After the war ended, McGonagall became the Headmistress of the school and the damage the castle had sustained was fully repaired. Many people lost their lives that night. Snape was one of them. As it turned out, he had always been on the side of the Light. He had been a double agent. His position as Headmaster was to protect us. In the mean time, he also fought to protect Potter and aided him in his quest to defeat Voldemort. Dumbledore had been cursed by something called a Horcrux and it was slowly killing him. In order to end his suffering, Snape killed him that night.

The last few weeks I spent at Hogwarts were the best weeks of my life. I had friends. Malfoy was obviously one of them and unlike before we didn't hide our friendship. He and I had almost become inseparable unless I was with Potter's friends. It had taken seven years but the sorting hat had been right. I was able to make friends, real friends, because I was a Slytherin. The adversity I had been forced to endure had brought all of them to me.


	12. Chapter 8: Separation

**A/N:**

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter! I hope all of you like it! I know this is a short one. I promise the next chapter will be longer.

Please tell me what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Separation**

Once I completed my schooling, I began my life in the wizarding world as an Auror. Apprehending dark wizards and witches became something of a passion for me after my experiences during the last year at Hogwarts. Unfortunately, though, I lost something when I graduated or more like someone. Malfoy and I, despite our close friendship, stopped talking to each other once it was over. At first we corresponded with letters but after a few months he stopped replying. It was almost as if Hogwarts had been the only thing keeping us together. I still knew though that we were friends and always would be until the end even if we weren't together.

Three years passed, and I occasionally found my mind wandering to Malfoy. It was something that couldn't be helped. A part of me wished he was still with me, but I knew I wouldn't be seeing him again. Too much time had already passed since the last time we spoke. I didn't really understand why we stopped talking to each other in the first place and it bothered me. However, due to my busy schedule I didn't really have a chance to dwell on him for too long.

"(Name), could you give this report to Gawain? I'm sure he'll want to know the latest development." Harry said.

"Sure." I said with a nod as I took it from his hand.

We've been working together ever since I graduated from Hogwarts. Neville and Ron also worked with us. It was Neville who broke the ice between us, and I've been able to call Harry and Ron my friends ever since. I was certainly grateful to all of them. They all gave me a chance to be their friend even though I had been in Slytherin while we were all in school.

I walked through the Department of Magical Law Enforcement until I made it to our boss's office. He was extremely interested in the report the four of us had created for the current events that had been happening. A few Death Eaters were causing us some trouble.

"Ah, is that the report?" Gawain asked.

"Yes sir." I said with a nod.

"Just leave it there on my desk." he said.

He motioned to the corner of his desk where a large stack of papers already was.

I nodded my head and placed the report there then excused myself from his office. After work, Harry, Ron, Neville, and I decided to head to a local bar for some drinks. The week had been long and hard for all of us, apparently in more ways than one.

"Can you believe her? Honestly, she's a perfectionist. If I don't say one thing right, she corrects me." Ron said as he complained about his fiancée Hermione.

I quickly responded with an amused look on my face.

"And yet you're still going to marry her aren't you? In fact, if I remember correctly you're the one who asked. You must secretly love it. You're just a masochist."

Harry and Neville burst out laughing as Ron looked at me in disbelief.

"You're joking!"

"She does have a point Ron. Hermione's been like that the entire time we've known her." Harry said.

We spent a couple more hours together until we parted ways. I was certainly on the tipsy side, more so than I realized, as I made it to my apartment. They were a bad influence on me. It was always their idea to go to the bar to drink after work and I had a bad habit of overindulging myself on Firewhisky. Now, because of them, I couldn't get into my apartment. My bloody key wouldn't go into the keyhole.

If anyone would have told me I would actually have friends when my schooling ended, I wouldn't have believed it. The fact it was the case, warmed my heart and always put a smile on my face. I would never have imagined I would have friends I could actually go to the bar with after work. I also had stable employment and had been able to leave the orphanage about six months after graduation. My life had taken a turn for the best. For the first time, I felt completely free. I had a bright future.

There was still a part of me though that wished Malfoy was with me. It's a bright future but it would be brighter with him in it. I missed him.


	13. Chapter 9: Surprise Encounter

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter! I hope all of you like it! Thank you for the support I've received so far!

Please tell me what you think by commenting/reviewing, adding it to your favorites, or adding it to your alert list!

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Surprise Encounter**

On Tuesday morning I was running late. I had promised Harry, Ron, and Neville the day before I would show up for work early so we could get a head start on things. As soon as I made it out of the elevator, I made a beeline for Harry's office. Mornings were not my thing, especially rushed ones. I felt frazzled, and it wasn't even noon yet.

Suddenly, someone turned the corner of the hallway leading towards Gawain's office and I bumped right into them. A very unattractive grunt came from my lips due to the collision and my eyes widened in surprise when I lost my balance. Luckily the person I ran into grabbed onto my right arm to stop me from falling. When I finally managed to get my proper footing back, I was able to look up at the person I crashed into.

"Malfoy?" I asked in surprise.

His grey eyes were wide with surprise as he stared at me. He looked just like he did the day we graduated from Hogwarts.

He was the first one to recover from our unexpected encounter and spoke with an amused look on his face.

"You're still walking around without paying attention and running into people?"

"W-Well- I-" I started saying embarrassed and still in shock.

I was still taking in the fact Malfoy was standing right in front me after so many years and couldn't seem to find a response. My mind was completely blank, and I was incapable of any coherent speech.

Lucky for me, Harry walked out of his office followed by Ron and Neville and saved me from the embarrassment of my extreme lack of reply to his statement.

"Good. You're here. We need to hurry." he said the moment he noticed me.

He, Ron, and Neville all had their coats on and were walking towards me.

"Another incident?" I asked him seriously.

"That's right."

I cursed under my breath and then spoke to Malfoy apologetically as they walked past me.

"Sorry I have to leave after bumping into you like this but unfortunately I have a job to do. Maybe we can catch up some other time?"

He silently nodded his head in response to my words.

"I look forward to it!" I said with a wave as I quickly ran after Harry, Ron, and Neville when they made it over to the elevator.

The raid proved almost fatal. Harry, Ron, Neville, and I had been ambushed, and we barely managed to escape with our lives. Then to add insult to injury, Gawain hollered at us because of our failed attempt at catching the Death Eaters. We've been trying to catch them for over two months and he was beginning to lose his patience with us.

I loudly cursed as I paced back and forth in Harry's office.

"Those bloody bastards! They knew we were coming! They cause a little ruckus and then bam we appear so they decide to ambush us! It was just a trap!" I shouted annoyed.

"There are a lot more of them than we previously thought." Harry said with a frown.

"That's for sure." Neville said.

"What do you think we should do?" Ron asked.

"Go back to the drawing board. I don't like how close of a call that was." I said with a sigh as I sat down.

We spent the next few days going over what happened, what went wrong, and what to do in case something like that ever happened again. Then we decided to plan our next strategy. All of this planning was to humor me to a certain extent. We knew we couldn't actually plan for everything. In fact, most of the time we have to improvise. However, my Slytherin trait of thinking about things before I take action always made me want to assess the situation. Sometimes I think it drove them crazy because of how much I mulled over things but usually it paid off in the end.

A knock came from the door to Harry's office and we all looked over at it only to find his fiancée Ginny Weasley standing in the doorway.

"I thought I might find you all here when I didn't find you at the bar. It's already ten o'clock." she said.

"Sorry Ginny, I guess we all lost track of time." Harry said apologetically.

After that he looked over at us.

"Want to call it a day?"

"It's not like we have much of a choice." Ron said sounding tired.

"Yeah. Hannah will be wondering where I am." Neville said.

Hannah Abbott was Neville's girlfriend. She went to school with us at Hogwarts and had been in Hufflepuff.

We all left the office together and headed our own separate ways.

My thoughts were preoccupied by the other day's raid as I walked home. Something about it didn't sit right with me. The Death Eaters didn't act as they normally did. During all of our other raids, they were already gone by the time we arrived or they ran away from us as quickly as possible. This time they had actually confronted us. Why did they suddenly change their behavior? It also bothered me they had more members. Those members were also extremely gifted wizards. We had trouble with them. The four of us almost didn't make it out alive. I couldn't help but feel like they were acting a lot more sophisticated than before.

The next day I walked into the Ministry and headed over to the elevator. I waited for it with a group of other witches and wizards who were also almost late for work. The second the doors opened I walked inside of it, pushed the button for my floor and was forced to the back as everyone else piled inside. When it reached my floor, I tried to get off but luck wasn't on my side. The elevator was too crowded, and I couldn't get through the people inside of it before the doors closed. I wanted to yell out in frustration but I just silently festered as I glared at everyone in the cramped space. They had all conspired against me and I knew by the time I could get the elevator back to my floor I would be late for work.

The scowl was still present after the last person walked off the elevator.

"Bloody dung sniffing wankers." I muttered extremely pissed off.

I was going to be chewed out by Gawain for being late the moment I made it back to my floor.

"It's been a while since I've heard an insult like that. It brings back memories." I heard a very familiar voice say in amusement.

My annoyance was quickly replaced by surprise as Malfoy walked onto the elevator while looking at me with an amused expression on his face .

"Malfoy?" I asked with surprise in my voice.

I looked to see what floor we were on and spoke.

"You work in the Office for the Removal of Curses, Jinxes, and Hexes?" I asked in surprise.

He nodded his head.

"I'm as qualified of a person as any. We did use to jinx and hex each other all the time."

A small smile appeared on my lips as I nodded my head.

"That we did. So which floor?"

"The same one as you." he replied.

I nodded my head and pushed the button. A sigh escaped my lips as the elevator began to move around again. Now was the best chance to actually talk to him. I've wanted to ever since I ran into him again.

"So how have you been the last few years?" I asked.

"As good as I can be considering my past and my families association with Voldemort."

"You haven't seriously been harassed because of that, have you?" I asked with disbelief in my voice as I looked over at him.

"Why do you sound so surprised?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I think it's short sighted of people to judge you because of a tattoo and your past association with a certain group of people. Everyone knows your family defected before the war ended. You may have aided them during our sixth year, but you didn't kill Dumbledore. I realized a long time ago that you couldn't. You also saved me that night in the common room and during the last part of the war. We even fought side by side. The actions of you and your parents should speak louder than your past association with Voldemort and the Death Eaters. I personally don't think you're that bad of a guy once you get over yourself."

A small smile appeared on his lips and I saw him relax.

"That's three times you've said something like that."

"Well, I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true. You should know that more than anyone. I used to loath you with a passion until we became friends again." I said honestly.

He stared at me for a few moments and then spoke.

"I'm sorry for all of it. Everything I put you through." he said with a regretful expression on his face.

I looked at him in surprise before a small smile appeared on my lips.

"You made up for it the moment you decided to listen to me in the common room that night. You're the first person who did something like that for me. If it wouldn't have been for you, I would have taken the poison. There were many occasions before the night I talked to you that I thought of ending it all. I'm glad you made me promise you not to give up. As it turned out, I did have a future. You made that year a little more bearable by being around me... You know, I never actually thanked you for caring enough to talk to me during the nights I needed someone to talk to the most. Thank you."

There was a hint of a blush on his cheeks that he tried hard to hide as he nodded his head.

"You're welcome."

The elevator doors opened, and Malfoy and I stepped off of it together. We walked in the same direction as Harry's office and I was praying I wasn't going to get caught for being late this time. I was extremely hopeful since I was normally ambushed by Gawain the moment I stepped out of the elevator. Everything was fine until I had to cross the opening to the hallway leading to Gawain's office.

"(Last Name)!" he suddenly shouted.

I jumped in surprise.

"Bloody hell not again." I muttered.

He seemed to have an uncanny ability of knowing when I was late.

I gave Malfoy a look of gloom and an amused expression appeared on his face.

"I don't remember you having the tendency of being late." he said as we walked down the hallway together.

"I didn't. It's a new habit."

"A bad one at that. Now get in here." Gawain said sternly.

A sigh escaped my lips and I looked over at Malfoy.

"I'll talk to you later. It's time for me to get ripped a new one for being late again."

He nodded his head and I walked inside of the office.

"I'll talk to you when I'm finished with her Mr. Malfoy."

Gawain shut the door and sat down in the chair behind his desk with a stern expression on his face.

As I predicted, I was royally chewed out for being late again but I still found myself in a relatively good mood afterwards. In fact, I was in a better mood than usual. I knew exactly why too. It was because I ran into Malfoy again. I was really happy to be able to see him again after so long. Our conversations were something I had missed a great deal during the last three years. I had missed having him around.

Later that day I was sitting with Harry, Ron, and Neville in Harry's office discussing our new strategy we had finally come up with. We were in such deep discussion we didn't realize anyone was at Harry's door until we heard a knock on it. All of us looked over and my eyes widened in surprise when I saw Malfoy. He was standing in the doorway looking straight at me. Harry and Ron immediately gave him glares and looks of mistrust. Harry opened his mouth to say something but I spoke before he could. I knew they'd just end up in an argument like at school.

"You're spoiling me. I don't see you for years and now you appear three times in one week?" I asked with a small smile.

I felt strangely giddy.

"You know me. I like to spoil a girl if I can." he said with amusement as he also smiled.

"Using the infamous Malfoy charm are you?"

"Of course." he said with a smirk.

Harry and Ron looked at me with perplexed expressions on their faces but didn't say anything. They never actually attended Hogwarts during our last year. Mine and Malfoy's friendly exchange wouldn't be something they expected. Neville, on the other hand, wasn't surprised. He had seen how close we were during the last few weeks of our schooling.

"What do you need?" I asked.

He was silent for a few moments and looked like he was trying to make a decision about something.

"There's something I want to talk to you about." he said with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

I nodded my head to indicate I was listening, but he didn't say anything.

"...Yes?" I asked with a perplexed look on my face.

"Alone." he said.

"What?" Ron asked with an incredulous look on his face.

"It's fine Ron." I said.

I looked over at the clock and realized it was already seven at night and stood up.

"Alright. It's time for dinner anyway. Do you want to-?"

"Yes. That'll be fine." Malfoy said with a small hint of eagerness in his voice.

"You guys don't mind if we continued this tomorrow do you?" I asked Ron, Harry, and Neville.

"What?" Ron and Harry asked in disbelief.

"See you tomorrow (Name)." Neville said as he looked at Ron and Harry with a little amusement.

"Thanks Neville. I'll see you guys tomorrow." I said to him with a wave as I grabbed my coat and walked towards the door.

Harry and Ron nodded their heads although they were obviously extremely confused. I knew the moment we were out of hearing distance they would start grilling Neville.

As Malfoy and I made it over to the elevator, I heard them speak loudly to Neville. An extremely amused expression appeared on my face. I guess I was wrong. They couldn't even wait for that long.

Malfoy and I made our way towards a restaurant in silence.

The silence reminded me of the ones we would occasionally have while in the common room. They certainly weren't awkward. Normally they happened though when we had absolutely nothing to talk about but we still wanted to be together. We hadn't seen each other for years so we obviously had things we could catch up on.

When we made it to the restaurant, the waiter took us over to a booth and we sat on opposite sides of the table. The moment the man left I stared at Malfoy and finally decided to ask him the question I've wanted to know the answer to for three years.

"Malfoy?" I asked.

"Draco." he said.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"Call me Draco."

A smile appeared on my lips and I nodded my head.

"Alright then, Draco, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" he said with a look of satisfaction on his face.

"Why did you and I stop talking to each other after we graduated? We didn't separate on bad terms. It was the opposite. You and I were extremely close, almost inseparable even. You and I were even sending letters to each other to stay in contact but then you suddenly stopped replying. I know you said you wanted to talk to me about something but before that I want to know the answer. It's something that's been bothering me all this time."

He was quiet for a few moments as he thought about how to answer me.

"There were some things I had to sort out in my mind, my life, and also at home. It took this long just to get a job at the Ministry after everything that's happened. Most people don't share your views about me."

There was a hint of loneliness in his eyes. One that I was all too familiar with.

What kind of things has he been forced to go through all by himself during the last three years? What kind of crap has he had to face that bothered him so much he went into solitude? It's ridiculous! He fought on the side of the Light along with the rest of us during the battle at Hogwarts! He and his family defected! Why is everyone still judging him and his family because they were with Voldemort at one point?! One bad decision shouldn't be enough to condemn someone!

"Do you know what I have to say about that?" I said with more anger in my voice than I expected.

I felt extremely angry at the people who wouldn't give him a chance. I felt like I needed to say something to comfort him. He shouldn't have to go through this! He's not the same boy he was before! He changed!

"What?" he asked with curiosity and confusion.

"To hell with what other people think. There comes a time when you have to simply not care anymore. You know who you are. You know the kind of person you've become. If they're too daft to listen and see what's right in front of them, it's their loss." I said passionately.

His eyes were wide as he gazed at me with genuine surprise. I looked down at his right hand that was on the table and grabbed it firmly with both of my hands.

He needed to know I was here for him. I didn't want him to feel alone. I didn't want him to be alone. I wanted him to know he could rely on me if something was bothering him.

I gazed straight into his eyes while he looked at me with confusion. I opened my mouth and continued to speak with a softer tone to my voice.

"Next time something's bothering you I want you to tell me. I don't want you to suddenly drop off the face of the planet again and go into solitude. You're not alone. You don't have to handle everything by yourself. I'll always be here to talk to when you need someone just like you were there for me. I'll always be here to try to help you out."

A look of surprise and wonder appeared on his face. He was staring at me as if he had never seen anyone like me before. His mouth was open a little but no words came from his lips. He was speechless.

"I want you to promise me that you won't suddenly disappear and become solitary when something is bothering you. Promise me you'll tell me what's going on so I can help you. I don't want you to feel like you're alone and have no one to rely on."

He didn't have a chance to reply to my words. At that particular moment the waiter decided to come up to our table and asked us what we wanted to order. I ordered my usual and Draco decided to try the same thing I was having. When the waiter finally walked away from the table, I looked back over at him with a serious expression on my face.

"Promise me. If you don't, I'm not going to leave you alone. I'll force you to stay at my apartment until you do." I said stubbornly.

A small smile appeared on his lips as he looked down at my left hand that was on the table and grabbed it with his right one.

"There aren't many people who can make a Malfoy speechless. Normally it's our charm that leaves others incapable of speech. It's also exceedingly rare for someone to be able to fill in the void of loneliness a Malfoy normally feels. In fact, I've never met anyone capable of it until now."

"Flattery isn't going to get you out of promising me." I said seriously.

A chuckle escaped his lips as he looked up at my face with an extremely gentle expression.

"I promise I'll tell you what's going on if something's bothering me. I won't suddenly disappear again. At this point, I doubt I could stay away from you for too long. You've made me grow incredibly attached to you."

A blush appeared on my cheeks and my heart suddenly raced inside of my chest. All I could do was nod my head.

This wasn't the first time he's made me feel like this. It began after we had become almost inseparable and everyone knew of our friendship.

We spent the rest of the night idly chatting with each other about anything and everything. It was just like we were in the common room all over again. Apparently, during the last few years, he's grown extremely interested in Alchemy. It's become a hobby of his. I told him about my job as an Auror, some of the funny things that have happened with Harry, Ron and Neville and about my life in general.

The only reason why we left the restaurant was because it closed and everyone wanted us to leave so they could go home. Afterwards, he and I walked over to my apartment together.

"I had a lot of fun tonight. Thanks for walking me to my apartment. I appreciate it." I said with a smile.

"Sure."

It was then I realized something.

"I just realized we never talked about what you wanted to talk about even though we've been talking all night." I said with a look of realization on my face.

"It's fine. We can talk about it some other time." he said with a small smile.

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked him.

He brought his face close to mine and tenderly kissed my right cheek.

"See you tomorrow." he said softly.

A blush appeared on my cheeks as my heart raced inside of my chest once again. My mouth was open a little due to my surprise as he put some space between us and looked at me for a moment. Whatever he saw made a confident smirk appear on his lips. I couldn't say anything while I watched him as he turned around and strode down the hallway. I placed my hand on my cheek the moment he walked out of my sight.

He has never done that before.


	14. Chapter 10: The Calm Before the Storm

**A/N:**

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter! I hope all of you like it!

Please tell me what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 10: The Calm Before the Storm**

The next day I was in an extremely happy mood when I made it to the Ministry. Gawain had been standing near the elevator half expecting me to show up late again but instead I arrived ten minutes early. He was shocked to say the very least.

Harry, Ron, and Neville were already inside of Harry's office when I arrived.

"Good morning." I said with a bright smile.

"What?" Ron and Harry asked in disbelief as they stopped what they were doing.

Even Neville was looking at me in surprise.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"Good and morning put together has never been in your vocabulary." Harry said.

Well, I can't say that isn't true.

"Did something happen?" Neville asked.

"Between her and Malfoy? No way." Ron said.

I took offense to his comment and immediately came to Draco's defense.

"I'll have you know he isn't the same jerk he was while we were in school. He changed after everything that happened in our sixth year. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be standing here." I said with a huff.

"Then what Neville said is true, you and him really are friends?" Harry asked with surprise and a little disbelief in his voice.

"Yes. I trust him as much as I do you three." I said as I sat down in the only chair left in the room.

"How?" Ron asked.

"What do you mean how?" I asked with a frown.

"After all the stuff he's put you through, how could you trust him?"

"He's saved my life on more than one occasion. I have no doubt in my mind I can trust him."

Harry silently observed me and nodded his head. I could tell he was thinking about what I said.

"So what did you two do last night?" Neville asked.

"He and I caught up on everything that's happened during the last three years. It was just like the nights he and I would talk to each other in the common room near the end of the last school year. I rather enjoyed myself."

I wasn't going to tell them about how he kissed my cheek. A part of me was still trying to wrap my mind around the display of affection. It made my heart race and a blush appeared on my cheeks whenever I thought about it.

"In any case, let's get to work. We were almost done when Draco interrupted us." I quickly said as I fought off the blush threatening to appear on my cheeks.

"Draco?" Ron asked in disbelief.

"Yes. That's what you do with friends, isn't it? You call them by their first names?" I said with a mildly annoyed expression on my face due to his behavior.

Ron went to say something else, but Harry quickly jumped into the conversation. I was glad he did too. I was sure Ron and I would have ended up in an argument if the conversation continued.

"Alright, let's get to work. We should try to turn in our report to Gawain later today."

We nodded our heads and started where we left off yesterday.

A little while later a knock came from Harry's door while we were working and I looked over at the doorway.

"Draco?" I asked in confusion.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to lunch with me?" he said with a smile.

"What? Right now?" I asked in surprise.

"Well, it is lunch time." he said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"It is?"

Ron, Harry, Neville, and I looked over at the clock in the room.

"Oh no, I'm going to be late for my lunch with Hermione." Ron said gloomily as he quickly stood up.

"I also have a date with Hannah." Neville said as he also stood up.

I half expected Harry to say he had also planned something with Ginny but he didn't.

"I'll stay here and look over everything. We'll continue when you guys get back." he said.

"Okay. Thanks Harry." I said as I stood up and walked over to my coat.

Ron and Neville were the first ones out of the room as they rushed to get to the elevator. I wasn't far behind them and walked over to Draco. When I went to head over to the elevator, Draco grabbed my arm.

"I'd prefer to take a separate elevator." he said while eyeing Ron with extreme dislike.

An amused look appeared on my face as I nodded my head. We waited until they jumped onto the elevator and the doors closed then walked over to it.

I noticed the day was rather nice when we finally made it out of the building. He and I headed towards a nearby restaurant that I decided I wanted to show him. If he hasn't been working at the Ministry long, I was sure he hasn't tried all of them yet.

We walked next to each other in a comfortable silence and I looked up at the sky.

"Oh, look at that cloud. It looks like a Dragon." I said as I pointed up at it.

He looked up at the cloud I was pointing to and nodded his head.

"You're right. It does... You still cloud watch?" he asked.

I nodded my head and spoke.

"I don't do it as much now that we're not in Hogwarts but I still do from time to time. Most of the time, if I have free time, I star gaze instead. Speaking of which, right before we ran into each other again I actually saw the constellation Draco. It made me think of you... In fact, I thought of you a lot during the last three years."

"Happy to know I made such a lasting impression." he said with a cheeky grin.

"Oh, you definitely made a lasting impression. Lucky for us it turned out to be a good one in the end. If it hadn't, every time I saw the Draco constellation I'd have a strong urge to hex you." I said with a cheeky grin of my own.

A chuckle came from his lips and he wrapped his left arm around the back of my shoulders as we continued to walk towards the restaurant.

The next couple of weeks he and I had lunch and dinner together. It became something of a routine we decided to fall in to. We were both almost inseparable again, and I felt like I was on top of the world.

Work was unusually quiet. The Death Eaters had temporarily stopped their little escapades. To be honest, it worried me. I felt like it was the calm before the storm. Harry, Ron, and Neville felt the same way. All of us knew they were planning something and I really didn't like the fact we had no idea what it was.

Draco and I were walking to my apartment together after dinner talking and laughing occasionally.

"Did I tell you of the time Harry, Ron, and Neville had to cross-dress during one of our investigations?" I asked.

"What?" he asked with a look of amusement on his face.

"Ron, Neville, and Harry looked quite attractive for men with long wigs on their heads and make up all over their faces. Harry's name was Harriet, Neville's was Nell, and Ron's was Ronnie." I said unable to hide the amusement on my face while I thought about it.

"Why would they need to cross-dress?" he asked with a laugh.

"The wizard we were investigating was a cross-dresser. Later we had to change tactics and Harry was forced to let him hit on him without the disguise. The wizard really liked the fact the boy who lived was taking an interest in him. It took me everything I had not to burst out laughing due to how uncomfortable he obviously was. When we told Ginny about our escapade, she burst out into laughter and Harry was mad at her for a couple weeks."

He didn't say anything but he had an extremely mischievous look on his face.

"I know that look. Don't do it. I wasn't supposed to tell you about it. They'd be so mad at me if they found out." I said while eyeing him suspiciously.

"I don't know what you're talking about." he said faking innocence.

"Oh please, I've known you far too long not to realize when you're scheming something ferret boy." I said with a hint of amusement in my voice.

"Ferret boy? Now what did I do to deserve that?" he asked as amusement danced across his face and he stopped walking.

"You know very well what." I said as I stopped walking and turned around to face him.

"I haven't done anything yet."

"Yet is the keyword there." I said as I playfully poked his chest.

"Can't I just call them by their names?"

"No way! If you did that, they'd know exactly what I told you." I said with a laugh.

He let out a chuckle.

"Fine. I won't do anything. You'll have to make it up to me though, it's not every day I get information that good."

I nodded my head in satisfaction then we fell into a comfortable silence. I turned around and started to walk forward again.

"(Name)?" Draco asked after a few moments.

"Yeah?" I asked as I stopped and turned my head to look at him from over my shoulder.

I watched him as he stared at me with an unreadable expression on his face. He seemed like he was thinking about something.

"What is it?" I asked him in confusion as I turned around to face him again.

A sigh escaped his lips, and he brushed his right hand through his hair. It was one of the things he did when he felt nervous about something.

He opened his mouth to say something when a man suddenly shouted from my right.

"Carpe Retractum!"

My eyes widened in surprise when a magical golden rope wrapped around me and I was pulled into the dark alley next to us.

"(Name)!" Draco shouted in alarm.

Death Eaters suddenly ambushed us as Draco ran into the alley with his wand out. He fought against them as best as he could but I was knocked unconscious during the fight. I never had the chance to see what became of him...


	15. Chapter 11: Resolve to Protect

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter! I hope all of you like it!

Please tell me what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Resolve to Protect**

The next time I opened my eyes I looked around to see where I was.

I was sitting on the floor in a cold and semi-dark stone room with my back against one of the walls. My arms hung above my head and there was a familiar feeling of metal around my wrists. When I moved my arms, I heard the clinking of shackles. I had been chained to the wall.

The only source of light in the room came from a small barred window at the top of the left wall. It was no where near big enough for me to attempt to climb out of it even without the bars. Straight in front of me was a closed solid metal door.

I was immediately reminded of when I was a prisoner in Azkaban...

A frown appeared on my lips while I thought of the situation I was in.

Everything happened so fast. One minute I was laughing with Draco and the next we were ambushed. I watched him as he fought to save me but then I was knocked unconscious before I actually saw what happened. It's obvious whatever happened wasn't good. Instead of being with Draco, I was here chained to a wall.

I had so many questions swirling through my mind. Why didn't the Death Eaters just kill me? It would have been easy to once they captured me. What are they up to? Harry, Ron, Neville, and I all thought it was strange they hadn't done anything for the last couple of weeks. However, now that they had done something their actions made no sense. Why did they capture me? This was definitely not the way they normally did things.

The thing that worried me the most though was what became of Draco. I was extremely worried about him. Was he also here? Was he alright? Did they hurt him? Did they kill him?

My stomach tightened as the last question went through my mind. I couldn't bear the thought of losing him. He was the first person who made me feel like I was worthwhile after I started Hogwarts. Granted, he was also a main contributor to why I felt alone in the first place but he made up for that. He was the only reason why I was alive. The happiness I've felt the last couple of weeks could only be experienced while I was with him. I don't know what I would do if he was killed.

"Draco..." I whispered as I brought my knees to my chest.

Please, be alive. I can't handle losing you too...

I nervously bit my lip while I thought of him and what to do.

There was no guarantee he was alive but I didn't know if he was dead either. If he was alive, he might be here too. I had to hope he was alright. I had to believe the Death Eaters didn't kill him, that he is still alive.

It took me a few minutes, but I pushed down the worry I felt and let determination replace it.

I couldn't waste time worrying. It wouldn't do him or me any good. I needed to focus on finding out what was going on. First and foremost, I needed to know if he was alright and where he was if he was still alive. Then I needed to figure out what they were planning. I would worry about escaping afterwards.

I looked up at the shackles around my wrists with deep concentration and placed the tips of my right fingers against the cold metal. If I wanted to do anything, I would have to unlock the shackles around my wrists.

"Alohomora." I whispered.

It unlocked, and I repeated the action with my other wrist until I was finally free. Afterwards, I quickly stood up and walked over to the door. I tried listening through it to see if I could hear anything. Everything was completely silent, but it still didn't put my mind at ease and I thought about what to do next.

There was no guarantee that no one was on the other side of the door. The sounds could simply be muffled because of the fact it was a completely solid metal door. At this point, the only thing that could ensure a good outcome was to wait until someone came into the room. I would be able to take them by surprise then I would get as much information out of them as possible.

It felt like hours before the door finally opened and I quickly pushed my back as flush against the wall as possible to hide myself.

Five people walked into the dark room. The spot where I was supposed to be was extremely dark, too dark to see I wasn't there. The first person who walked into the room swept their left arm to the side and used their magic to ignite the torches hanging on the walls.

The light from the flames filled the room, and I noticed they didn't have their usual white masks covering their faces to hide their identity. My eyes widened in disbelief as the flames revealed who the people were and my stomach lurched as I stared at them.

Three of them worked for the Ministry of Magic...

There was a man, one I would have never expected even if I knew people from the Ministry were involved, named Rex Hastings. He was part of the Wizengamot, the highest court of law and parliament in the wizarding world. He was an older man with short white hair and brown eyes. His appearance made him look like he could be anyone's posh grandfather.

The next person was a man named Luis Nicholas. He was an Unspeakable who worked in the Department of Mysteries. Due to the nature of their work, it made me extremely worried he was here. Everything they did was top secret and they had enough power to ignore the Ministry even when it tries to end their department. He was an average looking man with dark brown hair and brown eyes.

A woman named Alice Hardcastle was the other one. She was one of the jurists who worked in the Very Important Members of Section M. I. Trx. It was her job to help decide Education Decrees for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was a fairly attractive woman with soft features. Her long black hair was thick and curly, and she had green eyes.

I didn't know the other two men but neither of them looked very bright.

"Where is she?" Hardcastle asked in surprise.

I quickly moved into the doorway to get directly behind them.

"What?" Nicholas asked in surprise when he turned around and found me.

A smirk appeared on my lips as I quickly raised my right hand and looked at them with determination and deep concentration.

"Immobulus." I said.

All of them were completely immobilized much like the Snatchers had been when they tried to take me away from the orphanage four years ago.

"Incarcerous." I said as I pointed at Hastings.

Conjured ropes shot out from the tip of my fingers and wrapped around him and he fell to the floor. I quickly repeated the action with the other four to make sure they wouldn't be able to escape when the affects of the spell finally wore off. Then I quickly confiscated each of their wands, so they wouldn't be able to use them against me.

My mind was racing and understandably so. The three people from the Ministry had fairly high positions. It was hard to believe they were all Death Eaters. I hated to think how many more people who worked for the Ministry were here. After the war ended, I had believed along with everyone else that the people involved with Voldemort or believed in his cause had been sent to Azkaban. This just proved how horribly wrong I was.

As a result of the new developments, I was extremely on edge.

So many things could go wrong with my plan. It was obvious I was inside of the Death Eaters headquarters. They wouldn't feel comfortable enough to let me see their faces if I wasn't. There was also no doubt in my mind that there were more of them inside of the building. At this point, however, I didn't even know how many there were. Escaping this place would not be easy if I had to deal with more people from the Ministry. Depending on how many there were they'd be able to over power me and I'd be back to square one.

I took a deep breath in then exhaled to calm myself and shut the door to the room in order to follow through with my plan.

This was one of those times I knew I had to rely on luck in order for everything to pan out for me. All I could do was take everything one step at a time and act accordingly. Right now I needed to focus on the five people in front of me. They were the only ones who could give me any information. I needed to know if Draco was alright and where he was.

I used a silencing charm on the room and then walked over to Hastings.

"You are going to tell me if Draco is alright." I ordered with a guarded look on my face.

With a snap of my fingers, I broke my immobilizing spell on him, and he immediately looked at me with a glare.

"Like hell I will you filthy Mudblood." he said.

A frown appeared on my lips.

"Don't make me use Legilimency." I said with a calculating look on my face.

His eyes widened in surprise from the threat.

I learned both Legilimency and Occlumency while I was an Auror. Gawain, due to my background, knew I could be trusted and gave me access to top secret information with the condition that I learn Occlumency. He wanted to make sure I could prevent anyone who was able to use Legilimency from going through my thoughts and extracting the information I was given. It wasn't particularly hard for me to learn. Hiding my emotions was an easy thing for me to do since I had done it for so many years at Hogwarts. Once Gawain realized what I was capable of, he also suggested I learn Legilimency. Occasionally I had to use it to extract information from others during some of our cases. It made our job a little easier when information was hard to come by.

After a few moments, he glared at me defiantly as he made his decision.

"Fine. You asked for it. I'll also extract what you all have planned while I'm at it."

I stared directly into his eyes as I focused on what I was about to do.

"Legilimency." I whispered.

I briefly watched his past thoughts and memories as I delved deeper and deeper into his mind to get to the information I wanted.

It wasn't until I made it to his memory of the night I was kidnapped I stopped and let it play out inside of my mind.

 _"Oh please, I've known you for far too long not to realize when you're scheming something ferret boy." I said with amusement on my face._

 _We walked in front of the entrance to the alleyway where Hastings and the other Death Eaters were already waiting for us._

 _Draco stopped walking as amusement danced across his face._

 _"Ferret boy? Now what did I do to deserve that?" he asked._

 _I stopped walking and turned around to face him with a hint of a smile on my lips._

 _"You know very well what."_

 _"I haven't done anything yet."_

 _"Yet is the keyword there." I said as I playfully poked his chest._

 _"Can't I just call them by their names?"_

 _"No way! If you did that, they'd know exactly what I told you." I said with a laugh._

 _He let out a chuckle and spoke._

 _"Fine. I won't do anything. You'll have to make it up to me though, it's not every day I get information that good."_

 _I nodded my head in satisfaction then we fell into a comfortable silence. I turned around and began to walk forward again. Meanwhile Draco looked at me with an incredibly gentle look on his face, one that I didn't get to see because I had my back towards him._

 _"Disgusting. He's become a bloodtraitor. How can he be interested in a Mudblood? She's a threat to the purity of his line!" Hastings said in his mind with disgust._

The memory temporarily stopped and my eyes widened in surprise from his assumption. My heart was racing inside of my chest and a light blush appeared on my cheeks.

He thinks Draco's interested in me?

I shook my head to break that train of thought and went back into his mind.

 _"(Name)?" Draco asked after a few moments._

 _"Yeah?" I asked as I stopped walking._

 _I turned my head and looked back at him from over my shoulder. He stared at me with an unreadable expression on his face. He seemed like he was thinking about something._

 _"What is it?" I asked him in confusion as I turned around to face him again._

 _Hastings_ _looked over at the other Death Eaters and nodded his head to signal it was time for what they were planning._

 _A sigh escaped Draco lips, and he brushed his right hand through his hair nervously._

 _"Carpe Retractum!" the Death Eater next to Hastings shouted as Draco opened his mouth to say something._

 _My eyes widened in surprise as magical golden rope wrapped around me and the Death Eaters pull me into the dark alley towards them._

 _"(Name)!" Draco shouted in alarm._

 _Hastings and the other Death Eaters who were in the alleyway ambushed us as Draco pulled out his wand. He fought against them as best as he could while the Death Eater who was holding me captive knocked me unconscious._

I was a little afraid to continue delving into the memory but I forced myself to.

 _Draco fought against the Death Eaters in order to get to me but it was obvious he was outnumbered._

 _"Get her out of here." Hastings ordered._

 _Draco's attention immediately went to the Death Eater he had spoken to. He was just about to yell out a spell but Hastings quickly pointed his wand at him and shouted out a spell before he could._

 _"Expelliarmus!"_

 _Draco's wand flew out of his hands. A man and woman who worked for the Ministry in the Auror's department ran to the entrance of the alley named Brian Smith and Alice Lockhart._

 _"Thank you Mr. Malfoy for your services. We'll be in touch." Hastings said._

 _"What?" Draco asked in confusion._

 _The Death Eaters quickly disapparated from the area leaving Draco, Smith, and Lockhart behind._

I stopped using Legilimency and looked at Hastings in horror.

"You... You bastards framed him." I whispered in alarm.

A smirk appeared on his lips and he looked at me smugly.

It took everything I had not to punch him. The only good thing that came out of his memory was the fact I knew Draco was safe. However, I was certain he was going to be thrown into Azkaban without a second thought unless someone else was there who watched the whole thing.

"We chose to use him as a scapegoat. No one will believe he didn't hand you over to us after what I said in front of the two Auror's. He was a Death Eater at a certain point in time and that fact is not an easy one to forget." Hastings said.

"You're wrong. I'm sure someone else saw what happened before Lockhart and Smith appeared. They would have seen him fighting to rescue me." I said as my stomach tightened once again.

Someone had to of seen us!

"It's only you and him who know the truth. We made sure no one else saw what happened. That's why we attacked you at night and pulled you inside of the alley. Brian made sure him and Lockhart wouldn't appear until the time was right." he said knowing he had the upper hand.

"What? You mean Smith is also behind this?" I asked tensely.

"I'm sure you can find out." he said as his smirk widened.

And I did. I used Legilimency once again.

 _Smith was standing in front of Hastings in an alley and spoke._

 _"Tonight I'm in charge of following Malfoy around along with Lockhart to make sure he doesn't do anything strange. Gawain has asked everyone in the department to keep it a complete secret from (Last Name) due to the fact her and him are so close."_

 _"Good. Tonight's our chance to strike. They won't be expecting it."_

"What did he mean by being in charge of following Draco around?" I asked with a frown.

"Mr. Malfoy isn't trusted by the Ministry. We're not entirely sure how he even managed to get his job. The head of the Office for the Removal of Curses, Jinxes and Hexes just suddenly felt compelled to do it. As a result, all of us have been keeping an eye on him to make sure he isn't doing anything out of the ordinary."

His response made me extremely annoyed.

"You bloody gits. I'm definitely telling off Gawain when I see him. I've had enough of you people judging him because of his past."

"That will only be possible if you escape from here." he said challengingly.

"Oh, I will. I am a Slytherin after all. Resourcefulness and cleverness come with the territory." I said with a smirk.

"You? Why would the sorting hat sort someone like you into Slytherin? You're a filthy Mudblood." he asked with disgust.

A frown appeared on my lips in response. A part of me wanted to tell him off, but I decided I was tired of talking to him and performed Legilimency again in order to find out what exactly was going on. The sooner I get out of here the better.

What I found out was horrifying. There were far more Death Eaters than I could have ever expected who worked inside of the Ministry. A few of them even had fairly high positions. Harry, Ron, Neville, and I had believed it was only a small-scale operation with people who seemed to want to make trouble for us. The truth was it wasn't small at all. It was a large-scale operation to completely take over the Ministry just as Voldemort had four years ago. They all believed in the same pureblood nonsense Draco used to believe and wanted things to go back to the way they were when Voldemort was in power. We were just lucky enough the positions the people in the Ministry held weren't high enough to actually take over. None of them worked in the Ministers office. However, there were enough Death Eaters to cause a problem. There was at least one in every department.

It explained why the group had become more sophisticated and their numbers had suddenly increased. The Death Eaters had accumulated people who had the power to do something but those very same people weren't willing to lose everything. They couldn't afford for their plan to fail.

"Bloody hell. You're all planning to take over." I whispered in disbelief.

A smirk reappeared on Hastings face.

"That's right. Filth like you shouldn't be allowed to live in the wizarding world. You pose a threat to our blood purity. It's unfortunate we have to sacrifice a wizard like Draco Malfoy for our cause. Without him another pureblooded line will end, and we only have you to blame for it."

"What are you talking about? What do you mean "without him another pureblooded line will end"? Why are you talking as if Draco is going to be killed?" I said with a glare.

"I'm going to make sure Mr. Malfoy is thrown into Azkaban by the Council of Magical Law. They won't even let him provide a testimony before giving him his sentence. No one trusts him inside of the Ministry. Brian's words before the trial will be enough to condemn him."

I don't like the fact that I know he's right. Draco's had nothing but trouble since we graduated because of his previous ties with Voldemort and the Death Eaters. They'll never believe him over someone from the Auror's office.

"That doesn't explain why you're acting like he's going to be killed."

"He's going to be executed." he said confidently.

"What? For supposedly being in cahoots with you bloody wankers? There's no way that will fly. Everyone else was thrown into Azkaban for life." I snapped.

"We can't have him babbling the truth. I doubt anyone will believe him but in the off chance that someone might we will have to have him killed. It won't be hard to convince the others to sentence him to death once you're found brutally murdered because of his betrayal. We'll rip you apart piece by piece because of what you've done. You deserve as much suffering as possible."

He looked like he was looking forward to it.

I felt my stomach tighten and worry consumed me but I hid all of it behind a guarded expression.

I didn't like the death threats. I especially didn't like the fact they were threatening to kill Draco. I hated the fact Hastings could really do it. He was part of the Wizengamot. He could convince the others to execute Draco with ease. No one would even blink an eye. They would never realize they were executing an innocent man.

The more I thought about it, it pissed me off.

"What have I done exactly? You're the ones who framed him. You're the ones threatening to have him executed. If I wasn't in this particular situation, I'd kick all of your asses right here and now." I said coldly.

"He wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for you. You're the one who made him into a bloodtraitor like the Weasley's. Imagine my surprise when I found out from Smith that a disgusting Mudblood like you was fraternizing with a pureblooded wizard like Mr. Malfoy. It was even more disgusting when I saw the way you two interacted. We'll never allow you to marry a Malfoy. You will destroy the blood purity of the Malfoy family and tarnish their name."

My eyes widened in surprise and my heart raced inside of my chest.

"W-Wha-? That's-!" I said flabbergasted as a blush appeared on my cheeks.

How did we get on this subject?!

"You're mental!" I finally stated.

There's no possible way he could be interested in me!

I shook my head and forced myself to focus on the current problem at hand. It was more important to get out of here and tell everyone what was going on. That was the only way I could get Draco out of this mess.

"I won't let you get away with any of this. I'll get out of here and tell everyone the real story." I said with determination in my voice.

"You won't have a choice in the matter you filthy Mudblood." he said as his smirk widened.

I saw his eyes shift behind me and quickly looked over my shoulder. My blood ran cold.

"It's been a long time Mudblood. I told you I'd be seeing you again." the man behind me said with a crazed look in his eyes.

The man behind me was the Snatcher who had pulled on my hair when he handed me over to Snape. He already had his wand out and was pointing it at me.

"Crucio!" he said as he shouted his spell.

Familiar screams of agony, my screams of agony, filled the room and I fell to the floor. The extremely familiar feeling of hot knives on my skin consumed me and it felt like an eternity before the Death Eater stopped his spell.

It took me a few moments before I could open my eyes due to the pain. Hastings, Hardcastle, and Nicholas were free from their confines and the Freezing Charm I had placed on them. Smith was also in the room standing next to them.

"Has he been handed in?" Hastings asked Smith.

"Yes. He tried to escape but Lockhart managed to use the Incarcerous spell on him and I picked up his wand while she wasn't looking. No one believes his account of what happened." he said with a smirk as he handed the wand over to Hastings.

"Good." Hastings said with a smirk.

"Hear that Mudblood? Our plan was a success." Hardcastle said.

Nicholas pointed his wand at me and spoke.

"Now that we have you where we want you, tell us everything you know."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"We want information from you."

"Information? Information on what?"

That's the last thing I expected. It does explain why I'm still alive, though.

"Information on the Ministry, Harry Potter, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and anything else we find relevant to our cause." Hastings said.

"Even if I had the information, I'd never tell you what you want to know." I said spitefully.

"Oh, you will. We have ways of making people talk. You've just dealt with one of them." Hardcastle said as she licked her lips eagerly.

Hastings looked at Nicholas and spoke.

"Get as much information out of her as possible. She's the only one who has close ties with Potter, Shacklebolt, the Auror's, and Draco Malfoy. She's also one of the only people who have access to top secret files in the Auror's department."

"I will." Nicholas said.

Hastings and everyone else walked towards the door of the room. After I heard the door close, Nicholas spoke while he stared at me with a sadistic grin on his face.

"I'll enjoy this. I rather disliked being taken down by a Mudblood. Crucio!"

My screams filled the room once again, and I was forced to go through what felt like hours of constant torture. And it probably was. The entire time I made sure not to give them the information they wanted. When Nicholas finally stopped, I was extremely weak and fighting to stay conscious. The Death Eaters placed my wrists into shackles that had been enchanted to resist the unlocking spell to prevent me from trying to escape again. I fell unconscious soon after.

It was like reliving my last year of Hogwarts all over again. I was put under 24 hour surveillance and couldn't even attempt to escape. I was also tortured daily. Every Death Eater that tortured me for information seemed to enjoy my screams of agony. They loved being able to treat me like filth day in and day out. I was once again a filthy Mudblood who shouldn't have been born. However, they never tortured me enough that I would lose my mind for obvious reasons.

This time was tougher on me than my torture in Hogwarts. I barely had any reprieve. Draco also wasn't here to comfort me after the long torture and barrage of insults I received every day. He was trapped inside of a cell in Azkaban for a crime he didn't even commit and he was at risk of being executed. That thought, however, was also my salvation. It gave me the strength and determination to continue on for another day. I couldn't allow myself to die or be murdered by the group of Death Eaters. If I did, Draco would die as a result.

There were quite a few things going for me that I knew about due to the information I had gathered from Rex Hastings. I knew I was invaluable to them. They couldn't move ahead with their plan without the information I could give them on everyone and the Ministry. I was also the only person they could use due to the plan they cooked up. The only person who had access to top secret information was me other than Gawain. I was also the only person Draco was close to in the Auror's office. As far as I knew, I was the only person he was close to. He was their scapegoat to cover up their tracks. They couldn't kill me because of Draco and the information I had locked up inside of my mind. I had the advantage.

I was given reprieve from my torture just long enough to eat, sleep, or go to the bathroom. It was surprising at first when I was allowed to go to an actual bathroom when I needed to go. Apparently, the men and women working for the Ministry didn't want to have to smell me when they came into the room to get information out of me. They may have thought I was filth but they didn't want me to smell like it.

During my reprieve, I thought about my course of action. I knew I couldn't simply allow them to torture me without doing something. It was as equally important that I didn't give the Death Eaters the information they wanted. As a result, I lied or didn't tell them anything while they tortured me. It depended on which person was torturing me and if I had a lie planned out for them. I made them think they had some of the information they wanted but I made sure not to say enough that they thought they had all of it. It forced them to keep me alive.

My lies were always tailored to give Harry, Ron, Neville, Kingsley, and anyone else working at the Ministry clues. I knew how tightly knit each department was with each other and how fast information moved around and used it to my advantage. The information I gave resulted in the Death Eaters doing things that would inadvertently give them away slowly without them realizing it. It was also tailored in some cases to put doubt on Draco's involvement with my disappearance.

When they realized I was lying to them, they always made sure to punish me for it severely but it was all worth it. They were each playing beautifully into my hands and there was nothing they could do about it. I was their only source of information and they either had to take what I gave them and use it or do nothing. I was going to find some way to get out of here. I was going to get Draco out of Azkaban and away from the chopping block. I was going to put all of these bastards inside of Azkaban where they belonged. It was a plan even Salazar Slytherin himself would be proud of.

I lost count of the days I was trapped with the Death Eaters as their prisoner. To be honest, it felt like an eternity. However, my resolve and plan never ceased. I was certain Harry, Ron, and Neville were searching for me. I also knew my plan was slowly working. My torture had become worse because some of them were frustrated that somehow the Ministry was becoming suspicious of where their loyalties truly lie. It was also putting doubt on Draco's involvement with my disappearance.

The only part of my plan I hadn't figured out was how to tell everyone where I was. I knew I couldn't escape. If I could have, I already would have. My only option was to be rescued. Harry, Ron, Neville, and I though never had enough luck to find out the location of the Death Eaters headquarters...


	16. Chapter 12: A Surprising Union

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter! I hope all of you like it!

Please tell me what you think! This chapter has been edited to include P.O.V changes! It should be easier to follow now! I'm sorry that I didn't realize the symbol I used to do it before didn't register on 's document program!

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 **Chapter 12: A Surprising Union**

My eyes shot open as I woke up due to the pain coursing through my entire body. Someone was already using the Cruciatus Curse on me. It had become their usual way of waking me up. They were always eager to hear me cry and scream.

I let out my first scream of agony for the day and instinctively pulled down on the shackles around my wrists. They dug into my skin like all of the other days of my torture as I pulled on them with all of my might. The deep wounds on my wrists caused by the constant repeat of the action reopened. All I could think about though was the pain I was dealing with due to the curse. It was all I could feel. Any other pain I would have felt in my wrists was completely blocked out.

When the spell finally stopped, I let out a sob as Smith spoke to me.

"Wake up Mudblood. I have a little present for you."

He yelled out the spell again even though I was awake and my screams once again filled the room. I knew I was begging for him to stop but he didn't until he felt temporarily satisfied.

My body went slack as I lost any strength I would have had from sleeping and tears streamed down my cheeks. I could feel warm blood from my wounds already making its way down my arms. Where it ended up depended on the flow. It either dripped down onto the floor from my elbows or continued down the full length of my arms in order to stain my shirt.

 _All of this is worth it..._

 _I have to do this to protect him..._

 _I can't give up now..._

 _Someone will find out the truth soon..._

 _My plan is slowly working..._

 _Don't give up..._

 _I will protect Draco no matter what it takes..._

Those sentences had become something of a chant inside of my mind while I was trapped inside of here. I would alternate between them depending on which one felt the most comforting at the time and in quite a few cases I combined them. The one I used the most was "don't give up" since it reminded me of the night in the common room. It reminded me of Draco's warmth and the first time he held me in his arms as well as the promise he made to save me.

Smith crouched down in front of me and forcefully grabbed my chin to make me look up at him.

"Do you see what this is?" he asked with a sadistic smirk on his face as he held a small vial close to my face.

I didn't say anything as I looked at it.

"This is Veritaserum. You'll be forced to tell me everything you know after I use this."

Unless you know Occlumency like I do. Nothing and no one will ever penetrate my mind.

A confident smirk appeared on my lips while I looked him straight in the eye and ignored the pain that was slowly dying down in my body. The smirk slowly slid off of his face and he let go of my chin to slap my left cheek as hard as he could. I flinched a little as the shackles dug into my wrists a little more. It was quite obvious my reaction to his words annoyed him.

I turned my head forward again to look at him with the smirk still on my lips. He opened the vial as he glared at me. Afterwards, he grabbed a large handful of my hair and painfully wrenched my head back.

"Let's see if you can still maintain that smirk when I force this down your throat." he said with anger in his voice.

I cleared my mind and let him easily put three drops of the potion into my mouth. A triumphant smirk appeared on his lips again as he capped the vial and stood in front of me.

"Now, filthy Mudblood, you're going to tell me everything you know. What are all of the weaknesses in the Ministry?"

"You and everyone else in this hellhole. The answer to that question should be obvious." I bluntly said while resisting the affects of the potion.

"We can't go through with our plan until we have more information on how to over take the Ministry, can we? We have to know about any weaknesses other than us." he said with an annoyed expression on his face.

"And you think I'd tell you?"

"You have to. You've taken the potion." he said loudly.

"Oh? Try me." I said challengingly.

He was silent for a few moments as he stared at me.

"What are the Ministries weaknesses that the Death Eaters can exploit?" he said as he rephrased the question.

"You're wasting your time."

"What?" he asked me with a hint of surprise on his face.

"What is it? Haven't you figured it out yet?" I asked with a smirk.

"Figured what out?" he asked me with an annoyed expression on his face.

"My, my, you are daft. Veritaserum doesn't work on me."

"That's not possible!" he shouted at me.

"Oh, but it is. I'm an Occlumens." I said as my smirk widened.

I could see the cogs in his mind turning until a look of realization appeared on his face.

"Ah, there's that light bulb finally clicking on. Do you really think Gawain would give me top-secret information without the guarantee no one would find out?" I said with amusement on my face.

He didn't say anything but I could tell he wasn't happy and I spoke again.

"So you guys have become this desperate to get information from me, have you? I thought you all rather enjoyed torturing me day in and day out. Has it grown old or are you all worried you won't be able to do what you planned? I've heard the people in the Ministry are becoming suspicious of your loyalties. Too bad your ways of getting information from people aren't working on me."

"Crucio!" he shouted angrily as he pointed his wand at me.

My screams filled the room, and it wasn't until I felt like I was going to lose my mind that he stopped.

"You will tell me everything you know." he said threateningly.

"Or... Or else what?" I managed to get out with obvious pain in my voice.

It wasn't that I didn't already have a lie planned out for him, but I didn't want to seem too eager to give him the information. He wouldn't try to act on it if he knew for certain it wasn't true.

I watched him as he pulled out a pocket knife and my eyes widened in alarm. I knew he wasn't going to kill me with it, but it still worried me.

He crouched down and brought it up to my inner left forearm with a sadistic grin on his face.

"How about I carve what you are into your skin, Mudblood?"

He already made his decision to do it before I could even open my mouth to say something. His blade pierced into my skin deep enough I knew it would scar as I let out yells and sobs of pain. It was slow, extremely slow, and it felt like an eternity before he finished carving the word so it was big enough to cover my entire inner left arm.

"Now, tell me what I want to know."

"F-Fine. I'll tell you something. Just stop it, please." I said with a sob.

I couldn't handle something like that again. Not right now.

"If it's a lie, I'll make sure to torture you sufficiently." he threatened.

It took me a few moments to gather enough composure to speak again.

"I suggest you ask Harry about a woman named Ronnie Blackwell." I said weakly.

Hopefully, this clue will make them finally realize what is truly going on...

When I was finished telling him what I wanted him to know, he frowned at me.

"That isn't the information I wanted and you know it."

"That's the only information I'm giving out to you today. Take it or leave it. Either way it's still useful to you. I'm sure none of you want it to happen." I said softly.

He was silent for a few long moments as he stared at me to see if I was lying. When he seemed to be satisfied, he stood up.

"It better not be a lie this time." he said threateningly before he finally left the room.

I tiredly closed my eyes again and let my mind fill up with memories of Draco.

 _"Don't give up."_ Draco said in my mind as the memory of him holding me in his arms played through it.

I won't Draco... I will protect you no matter what it takes.

 **XXXXXX**

It was near the end of another long day in the Auror's department. Harry's office, which was once noisy due to idle chatting and planning or frustrated yelling, was completely silent. Harry, Ron, and Neville were all sitting inside of it staring at the empty chair where (Name) was supposed to be. All of them shared the same sadness and longing to see their friend again. She was supposed to be sitting with them but she wasn't. She hadn't been there for ten months.

All of them blamed themselves for what happened. Neville blamed himself because he actually trusted Malfoy. He believed that Malfoy actually had feelings for her and defended him when Ron and Harry voiced their concerns. Ron and Harry blamed themselves because they knew Malfoy wasn't someone they could trust but they didn't do anything to stop him from being around (Name). When they saw how happy she was whenever she was around him, they didn't have the heart to stop what was going on. It was the happiest any of them had seen her.

After Malfoy's arrest, the three of them were told by Gawain that Malfoy was claiming he had been framed but he couldn't explain why. Obviously no one believed him. He was a Death Eater in the past, and it wouldn't surprise them if he really did decide to change sides again. His family always believed in blood purity. However, a part of Harry, Ron, and Neville wanted to believe him. They didn't want to believe the person who made her so happy betrayed her.

There were a few things going for Malfoy. The three of them agreed that the circumstances of his arrest and trial had been a little odd. His trial took place only one day after he had been arrested. No one had the chance to do a proper investigation before he was thrown into Azkaban. They also found it strange that Malfoy's wand had disappeared without a trace. Without it they couldn't see what the last spell was he conjured. If he was telling the truth, it would show he was fighting against the Death Eaters. Another odd thing was the fact Malfoy hadn't been allowed to provide any sort of testimony during his trial. It seemed like someone was extremely determined to get him behind bars as quickly as possible.

Smith's involvement in the situation only fueled their doubts. They weren't sure if they could believe Malfoy's story but no one could deny the fact Smith occasionally acted suspicious. Gawain told them he caught him inside of his office looking through his files for something and the way he talked about Muggle's also made them wonder.

Harry, Ron, and Neville tried to get permission to relook at the case but Gawain wasn't allowed to reopen it. Someone from high up wasn't authorizing him to do so. It only made them even more suspicious but they couldn't put their finger on what was going on.

As a result, the three men decided to look for her even though they hadn't been given permission to do so. They wanted to find her no matter what even if it meant risking their jobs to do it. However, now that ten months have passed all of them were giving up hope that they would ever see her alive again. The only reason they had any hope left was because they hadn't found her body, but they knew that didn't mean much. Even in the Muggle world, people disappeared all the time without a trace.

Hermione walked into the room and gave the three men a look of sympathy. She could tell they were at the end of their rope. They had asked for her help but even she wasn't able to come up with any good leads to find (Name). It was looking completely hopeless.

A knock came from the door to the office and the four of them looked over only to find Smith standing in the doorway. Harry, Ron, and Neville were seeing him a lot more lately. More than they would have liked considering the circumstances. They didn't trust him.

"Harry, can I ask you something? You might not know the answer but I thought it was worth a shot." he said with a shy smile.

"Sure, what is it?" Harry said with a nod.

"I heard the Minister's having meetings with someone named Ronnie Blackwell. Do you know who that is?"

Ron, Neville, and Harry froze and couldn't say anything due to the question. Only a small handful of people knew that name. It could have just been a coincidence, but they weren't sure if it was. It only made them even more suspicious of him.

Hermione noticed their sudden change of behavior and kept quiet.

"Sorry, who?" Neville asked after a few long moments.

"Ronnie Blackwell. Apparently she's really pro-Muggle. I can't imagine why. Muggle's aren't that great. I heard that for some reason her and the Minister are thinking of allowing Muggles to become more involved with us. It's rather preposterous, don't you think? It wouldn't benefit us whatsoever."

Hermione was about to say something while looking at Smith annoyed but Harry stopped her before she could.

"No, we haven't heard of her."

"Oh. Okay. Sorry for bothering you."

They noticed a hint of annoyance come to his face as he turned around and walked away. Harry quickly walked over to the door to the office and shut it while deep in thought.

"You know, I haven't liked that guy since he started to talk to us." Ron said with a frown and a suspicious look on his face.

"What is it Harry? I know you're thinking something. I want to hear what it is." Neville asked as he observed the way he was acting.

"Have you noticed things about him, things that make you suspicious of him?" Harry asked seriously.

Ron and Neville nodded their heads.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"Doesn't he seem to dislike Muggle's a little too much? It takes him a lot of effort not to look disgusted when he talks about them. Gawain also said he caught him in his office once. There are only a few people allowed to see his files and Smith is definitely not one of them. The name he said is also suspicious. It just happens to be the same one Ron used for one of our investigations. The only ones who know about it are us, Ginny, and (Name)."

"What investigation? Why would Ron use a woman's name?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"Don't worry about it." Ron muttered embarrassed.

"You're saying what I think you are, aren't you?" Neville asked.

"I think he's involved with (Name)'s kidnapping. I don't know how but I can't help but think it. We've all been thinking he's someone who can't be trusted especially after Gawain found him inside his office. It's entirely possible he's a Death Eater. I've heard from Kingsley that there are others in the Ministry who seem to be acting strangely from time to time. Digging into things they shouldn't be and asking strange questions. It's like all of the departments have spies inside of them working for Voldemort or something."

"That's a serious accusation Harry." Hermione said with wide eyes.

"You know, dad said the same thing. He even has a couple of people in his department that he can't help but think they're acting strangely. Remember him telling us Hermione?" Ron asked.

"I do... In fact, I've also run into one of those people myself." she said in thought.

A knock came from the door and everyone looked at it only to find Smith was back. Harry opened it back up and spoke.

"What is it?"

"I forgot. I heard you might remember who Ronnie is if I mentioned something about Dragons."

"Dragons?" Ron asked in confusion.

"Dragons attitudes have a tendency of showing the worst parts of their personality and cause people to misjudge them. What I've learned is to never judge a book by its cover. They really aren't so bad. Actually, you'll find they're fairly innocent and sweet if you take the time to be with them and listen to them."

Hermione's eyes widened for a moment as her mind raced a hundred miles an hour.

"What?" Neville asked in confusion.

"Apparently it's something she would say."

"Sorry, I really don't know who she is." Harry said apologetically.

"Alright, well it was worth a try." he said as annoyance flashed on his face once again.

"Why are you so curious about this Ronnie Blackwell anyway?" Harry asked with curiosity in his voice.

"I like to keep up with things to stay in the loop, you know?" he said with a forced smile.

Harry slowly nodded his head, and Smith spoke again.

"Sorry for bothering you. I know all of you are busy."

Harry nodded his head again, and Smith turned around and walked away again. Hermione stared at the door deep in thought as Harry shut it and locked it.

"You guys?" she asked.

"What is it?" Neville asked.

"I can't help but feel like that was some sort of message about Malfoy."

"What?" Ron asked her in disbelief.

"Think about it. If you three, Ginny and (Name) are the only ones familiar with the name Ronnie Blackwell, then he must somehow be in contact with her. Doesn't this prove she is alive and that he's involved with the Death Eaters?"

"But what does a Dragon have to do with Malfoy?"

"The constellation Draco is a Dragon. She was trying to tell us to talk to him."

Harry's eyes widened in surprise along with Neville's and Ron's as they stared at her.

"We need to go to Azkaban. We need to talk to Malfoy." Harry said firmly with determination in his voice.

"You can't be serious. We're going to talk to the very person who turned her into them?" Ron asked him like he'd gone mad.

"It's the only thing we have to go on. We've exhausted all of our other leads. If it really was her, then she just told us he was innocent." Harry said.

Hermione nodded her head in agreement, and the four of them decided to go the Azkaban the next day.

 **XXXXXX**

Draco had a guarded expression on his face while staring at the stone wall in front of him. He was sitting on the floor in the corner of his small cell in Azkaban with his knees pulled to his chest. The prison garb he was wearing was the exact same thing he had seen (Name) in when she came to Hogwarts at the beginning of their seventh year. He had dark circles under his eyes, was fairly thin, and had dirt and grime all over him.

He was a complete chaotic mess on the inside, despite his currently calm outward appearance. He hadn't been able to sleep or eat properly ever since he had been thrown inside of his cell. How could he when he could only worry about (Name)? There were times he caught himself pacing back and forth in his cell because he couldn't calm down. He was extremely restless and on edge.

The conditions in the prison were better than what they had been before. He was certain of that and grateful for it. If the Dementors would have still been in Azkaban, he was sure he would have been driven insane like so many inhabitants before him. Every horrible memory he had would have been forced to the forefront of his mind and he wouldn't be able to feel any happiness. He would have been left with nothing but a feeling of despair. However, despite the fact they weren't there, happiness was still hard to come by. Only one thing could actually make him happy, news that (Name) was safe.

He wanted to believe more than anything she was alive but he knew the chances were slim due to the amount of time that had passed. The thought was slowly killing him on the inside. Every day he found himself looking at the newspaper just to make sure there wasn't a story covering either her demise or her rescue but there was nothing. It was the only hope he had that she was alive. If she was alive though what were they doing to her? He hated to think about it. They were Death Eaters. It was obvious it wasn't good whatever it was.

What happened didn't make any sense to him. Why did they kidnap her? What was the point in framing him? What were they scheming? There was only one thing he was sure of and it was the fact they wanted something from her. They wouldn't capture her if that wasn't the case. Under normal circumstances they would have killed her right on the spot when they caught her off guard. He highly doubted the Death Eaters worked any differently than they did while Voldemort was still alive.

He tried to explain what happened but the Auror's who arrested him wouldn't listen. Instead, he had been thrown into Azkaban without a second thought. Everyone had already decided, because of his past, that he was guilty. He didn't even get the chance of a proper trial. He wasn't allowed to testify in order to defend himself. The Auror's didn't even get the chance to try to find his wand in order to prove if he was lying or not. It was obvious his trial had been expedited. Even when it was proven his father was a Death Eater, he had to wait a few months before his trial. No one tried to ask for more time to prove his innocence either.

It was times like these the loneliness he felt was the greatest. His past was always going to haunt him for as long as he lived. People were always going to judge him for the mistakes he made as a foolish boy. At the time he wanted to make his father proud and put the Malfoy family back in good standing with Voldemort. He didn't realize the true burden of the task he had been given until it was too late. No one other than (Name) would give him a chance. Somehow she saw what no one else could see, that he had changed. Even after all he had done to her, she forgave him and gave him a chance to redeem himself. She was the only person who seemed to be able to fill the void he always felt. The only time he never felt alone was when she was around.

He blamed himself for the predicament she was in. How could he allow them to take her away so easily? If he would have tried harder to stop them, she would still be with him. He was supposed to protect her. It was something he had decided when they were in school. The night she tried to kill herself and broke down in front of him he vowed to himself he would always protect her no matter what. Yet, here he was trapped in a cell and she wasn't protected.

She had been laughing only moments before the attack. He could still see the smile on her face, the same smile that always seemed to brighten up a room. The memory of her only made his longing to see her increase ten fold. He wanted to save her. He didn't want to give up on her. As a result, his time in Azkaban felt like an eternity. It made him feel so useless. He couldn't do anything locked up in a cell. If he wasn't trapped inside of this prison, he would stop at nothing to find her again. He would tear the city apart just so he could be around her, talk to her, see her smile, hear her laughter, hold her...

A shaky sigh came from his lips and he placed his forehead on his arms as tears threatened to come to his eyes.

He just wanted her to come back alive...

"Malfoy, you have visitors." he heard a prison guard say a little while later.

Draco looked over half expecting to see his parents on the other side of the bars but what greeted him was the sight of Potter, Longbottom, Weasley, and Granger. A guarded expression appeared on his face while he stared at them. He had been expecting Potter, Longbottom, and Weasley to appear at some point. It was something he had come to dread.

Surprisingly, they didn't say anything. They simply stared at him as if trying to read the expression on his face and take in his fall from grace. His unhappiness over the situation increased ten fold and he let his temper get the best of him.

"I bet you're all relishing in the fact I'm here, aren't you? Happy I finally managed to get what I deserved? Did you come here to gawk at me? Laugh at me? Yell at me for handing (Name) over to the Death Eaters?" he asked snippily with bitterness in his voice.

Weasley gave him a sour look, and Granger spoke.

"No."

"Then why are you here? If you have something to say, then say it and leave me in peace."

"We're here because of (Name)."

His eyes widened in surprise and he felt a surge of hope as he stared at them.

"What about her? Did you actually find her? Is she alright?" he asked with hope in his voice.

"No, we didn't find her. We don't know if she's alright either."

"...Then why are you here?" he asked as he looked back over at the wall with his hope vanishing as quickly as it came.

"We found out that there's a possibility she's still alive." Longbottom said.

His eyes widened in surprise and he quickly looked over at him. He stared at him to see any signs that would indicate he was lying but he found nothing. Hope once again surged through him.

"We need you to tell us what happened that night." Potter said.

He looked at them with mistrust.

"What for? No one will listen to what I have to say. You're just like everyone else. I'm sure you think I'm lying as well." he said sharply as he glared at them.

The looks on their faces told him everything he needed to know, especially Weasley's, and he looked back over at the wall. They didn't trust him.

"She told us to talk to you, we think she did anyway." Granger said.

His mistrust for them increased ten fold as he looked at them with a cold expression on his face.

"Didn't you tell me you hadn't found her? How could she tell you to talk to me when she's with the Death Eaters? What's your real reason for being here? Have you chosen to come here just to torment me with her memory? Is your plot to guilt trip me into a confession so you can tell people that my family is back to their old tricks? Well, Saint Potter, I have news for you. I can torment myself with her memory just fine without your help. I still stand by what I said. I didn't hand her over to those bastards. Instead of bothering me, why don't all of you do something useful for once and find her? I have nothing to say to you." he said with malice in his voice.

"Why don't you get your head out of your-?!" Weasley started saying with an extremely annoyed expression on his face.

Granger quickly covered the redhead's mouth with her hand and spoke.

"That's not why we're here. It's because of something we were told by a man named Brian Smith."

"What could that wanker of said that would bring you here?" Draco asked with anger still in his voice.

He remembered Smith and hated him. No matter what he said, the bastard made sure no one believed him.

"We wouldn't have thought anything of it but he's been acting suspiciously from time to time. He asked us about a Ronnie Blackwell and told us something she would supposedly say." Longbottom said.

"What did he say?" Draco asked with a frown.

Granger opened her mouth and recited the words.

"Dragons attitudes have a tendency of showing the worst parts of their personality and cause people to misjudge them. What I've learned is to never judge a book by its cover. They really aren't so bad. Actually, you'll find they're fairly innocent and sweet if you take the time to be with them and listen to them."

The guarded expression on his face slowly disappeared as he stared at them. He was speechless as a whirlwind of emotions flowed through him. Hope, worry, sadness, longing... They were words that sounded similar to what (Name) would say to him.

It took him everything he had not to cry as tears threatened to gather in his eyes for the second time today.

"We think this was her speaking through him. She was trying to tell us you were innocent and to talk to you." Granger said with a soft tone to her voice.

"It sounds like something she'd say." Draco said with a shaky voice as a weak smile appeared on his lips and he looked at the floor.

He fought to compose himself as the thought of her actually being alive played through his mind. This was the first time since she was taken he had been given any sort of reassurance that she might actually be alive.

"Will you tell us what happened? We want to hear what happened that night from your perspective." Potter said.

Draco looked at them with hope in his eyes and told them everything. He knew the only reason he opened up to them was because of the words they had heard from the Auror. Those words were his proof they weren't here to call him a liar, shame him, blame him, or mock him. She was the only person who could say something like that about him. He knew she was still alive. There was still hope to find her. Potter, Weasley, Granger, and Longbottom were also willing to listen to him and did so without interruption. For the first time, he had people standing in front of him who might actually believe his story. It was his only chance to get the truth out.

It wasn't until he was finished telling them what happened he realized something.

He eyes widened in surprise and he spoke again.

"Did you say Smith told you those words?"

"Yes." Longbottom said.

His mind was racing and he stood up and started pacing around in his cell.

"That means he's involved with them! He's one of them! That's how they were able to frame me! He must have known they were going to attack and planned when he and the other Auror were going to appear!"

"I can't say it's hard to believe. He's been acting suspiciously and seems to have a deep hatred for Muggle-borns. He told us about a woman named Ronnie Blackwell. Apparently she's working with the Minister to allow Muggle's to become more involved with the wizarding world. He took immediate dislike to the idea. In fact, he seemed disgusted by the prospect." Granger said.

"Contrary to popular belief, not everyone likes Muggle's or Muggle-borns even if they work for the Ministry Granger. What other things has he done to make him seem suspicious?" Draco asked.

"The name Ronnie Blackwell is a name that only Ron, Neville, Harry, Ginny, and (Name) know about. Apparently it has something to do with one of their cases." Granger said.

Draco's eyes widened in realization but didn't say anything as he nodded his head.

"He also tried to look through the files in Gawain's office. Everyone knows there are very few people allowed to look through them. (Name) was one of them." Potter said.

"That might explain why they decided to kidnap her. They must want information on something." Draco said in thought.

"There have also been other people in the Ministry doing similar things. As Harry said yesterday, it's like Voldemort has spies all over the Ministry again. That's why we became suspicious of someone in the Ministry in the first place." Longbottom informed him.

He thought about what Longbottom said for a moment then stopped pacing and looked at them.

"Why did you all decide to take a chance that I wasn't in the same boat as they were?" Draco asked.

Potter spoke.

"The circumstances involved with your arrest and trial were odd. You were thrown into Azkaban before there was a proper investigation and all of us know you didn't receive a fair trial. You weren't allowed to give any testimony. We were also prevented from investigating any further into the case by someone higher up. Knowing all of that and Smith's involvement made us suspicious of the situation. The message he gave us was the nail in the coffin so to speak."

"Are you trying to say this is a Ministry wide operation?" Draco asked in disbelief as he put Potter's and Longbottom's information together.

"Bloody hell, you think all of them are...?" Weasley asked with wide eyes before he trailed off.

"We can't rule out the possibility Ron." Granger said seriously.

"So what are we going to do? We still have no idea where (Name) is. She's the only way we could possibly prove any of this. No one is going to trust what Malfoy's told us." Longbottom pointed out.

"He's right." Potter said with a frown.

"We really have rotten luck, don't we? We're here because we thought we could actually get some sort of clue, but we're back to square one." Weasley said frustrated.

Draco's eyes widened and he spoke.

"Luck?"

Granger, Potter, Longbottom and Weasley looked at him in confusion.

"What is it?" Granger asked.

"I have an old bottle of liquid luck I took from (Name) during our last year. Use it to find her." he said without a second thought.

"You still have some left? That was three years ago." Weasley said in disbelief.

"I only use it when I feel like I have no other option. That's how I managed to get my job and why I was able to run into (Name) again the same day."

"Well, that explains a lot. Everyone wondered why you were able to get a job in the Ministry after everything you've done." he said bluntly.

Granger elbowed him in the side and Draco ignored his remark.

"I've been waiting until there was a good time to use the rest of it. I think this constitutes as a time like that. I'm willing to do anything it takes to save her even if it means letting you use up the entire potion to do it. I don't care how rare it is. All I want is (Name) safe and out of the Death Eaters hands." he said with a hint of desperation in his voice.

He had to do something, anything to help even if he was trapped behind bars.

"Where is it?" Potter asked.

"Malfoy Manor. My room is on the second floor, turn right and it's the third room on the left. It should be inside of my bottom desk drawer."

"If it's at Malfoy Manor, how do you expect we get to it? In case you've forgotten your parents don't like us." Weasley said.

"Tell them little Dragon sent you. They'll understand. I doubt they would stop you if you told them it was to prove my innocence."

"Little Dragon?" Weasley asked trying to stop himself from laughing.

"Shut up Ronnie." Draco snapped.

"What?! How do you know about that?!" Weasley asked embarrassed and annoyed.

"How do you think?"

"She told you?!"

"Of course she told me."

"Ron now is not the time to argue. We need to find (Name) as soon as possible." Potter said.

Weasley, Longbottom, and Granger nodded their heads in agreement.

"Thank you for your time Malfoy." Longbottom said.

They were about to walk away from his cell before Draco spoke again.

"Wait."

"What is it?" Granger asked in confusion.

He hesitated for a moment until he gathered enough nerve to speak.

"I'm not normally one to beg, but I've always made special exceptions when (Name) is concerned. I've done many things I never imagined doing because of her... Save her before it's too late. I'm begging you. You're the only ones I can count on to do it. If she really is alive, get her out of the Death Eaters hands. I can only imagine what they've been doing to her during the last ten months. Do what I should have done the night she was taken away, protect her." he said pleadingly.

The four people in front of him stared at him, and he knew that if they didn't believe him before they did now. Everyone knew a Malfoy never begged for help. Draco especially wouldn't beg the four people in front of him for it if he wasn't desperate.

"We will, Draco." Granger promised.

"Thank you." he said softly.

 **XXXXXX**

Harry, Neville, Ron, and Hermione left Azkaban and apparated to Malfoy Manor.

"I think the sky is falling. I don't think I've ever seen Malfoy look so... so..." Ron said trying to come up with the word.

"Un-Malfoy like?" Neville offered.

"Yeah, that's it."

"I think it's obvious why especially at this point." Hermione said with a knowing tone to her voice.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked.

"Well, I'm not going to tell you if you're too daft to see it. The answer should be obvious." she said with a huff.

"This is Ron we're talking about Hermione." Harry said.

"That answer actually makes a lot of sense." Hermione said causing Neville and Harry to laugh.

"What? What's that supposed to mean?" Ron asked annoyed.

"You're daft when it comes to knowing how others feel." Hermione said bluntly.

They walked over to the large gate in front of the property while Ron silently pouted. It wasn't the first time Harry, Hermione, and Ron had been here. If they had the choice, they wouldn't be here now. All of them knew they weren't welcome.

The gate, because they were unexpected visitors, wouldn't let them in much to their frustration. As a result, they were forced to wait outside until someone walked out of the front doors of the manor.

Lucius Malfoy just so happened to be that person.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Harry shouted the second he spotted him on his front porch.

Lucius stopped and looked at them. A look of disdain appeared on his face and he turned around to go back into the manor.

"Little Dragon sent us!" Harry shouted again in order to stop him.

They watched as Lucius paused. In fact, he didn't move for quite a few moments. He eventually turned around slowly and looked at them again. There was a look on his face they couldn't describe as he walked closer to the gate.

"What did you say?" he asked once he made it near them.

"Little Dragon sent us. We're here to prove Draco's innocence." Hermione said.

"Let them in." Lucius said to the gate without hesitation.

It opened up, and they followed him into the large house. They were led into the large drawing room where Narcissa Malfoy was sitting. She stood up and looked at them with a calculating gaze. Her nose was upturned as if she was sniffing dung like usual.

"Why are they here?" she asked Lucius.

"They said little Dragon sent them."

A wide range of emotions flashed on her face, ones that they had never seen before. It was obvious she cared for her son a great deal. Harry already knew that from the events that took place near the end of the war. In order to find her son and protect him she lied to Voldemort.

"Draco did?" she asked in surprise.

"They are here to prove his innocence." he said.

Narcissa looked at them and her attitude completely changed. She was no longer looking at them with disdain as she spoke.

"What is it that you need?"

"He told us to go to his room and grab a potion from his dresser drawer. It'll help us find the woman who was kidnapped by the Death Eaters. She's the only one who can prove his story." Harry said.

"What makes you think she's still alive? She was taken ten months ago." Lucius asked with a calculating gaze.

The four of them explained the entire situation to them without leaving anything out and also what Draco had told them.

"I'm coming with you to find her. I want to help save Draco." Narcissa said.

Everyone in the room looked at her in surprise before Harry nodded his head in agreement.

"Then I'll come as well." Lucius said.

Thus began an unlikely union between Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and the Malfoy's. Each person had the same goal, to save and protect someone. And together they planned to put an end to everything that happened ten months ago.


	17. Chapter 13: Rescue Mission

**A/N:**

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter everyone! I hope all of you like it! It's a pretty long chapter!

Please tell me what you think! Sorry about the last chapter! I just realized that the symbol I used for my P.O.V changes doesn't seem to want to appear! I'm just about to update it right now! I am so sorry! It should be easier to read now!

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Rescue Mission**

"What did I tell you? I told you not to lie, didn't I?" Smith said to me as he roughly pulled on a handful of my hair.

I let out a sob due to the pain coursing through my left inner forearm and right leg. Blood was pouring out of the wounds created by his knife that soaked into my clothes.

It took Smith a few days to act on the information I gave him. I knew it was because he was questioning the validity of it after all the lies I've told. His hesitation worried me but eventually he played into my hands. Last night he suddenly barreled into the room absolutely livid and immediately started to torture me. He didn't only use the Cruciatus curse. He used his knife to re-carve the word "Mudblood" into my inner left forearm then used it to stab my right thigh a couple of times.

He let go of my hair and stood up then stomped down onto my right thigh. I let out a scream as even more pain surged through it.

"Didn't I?!" he shouted.

I didn't dare attempt to say anything witty in response. It wasn't like I could anyway. The pain took over any sort of coherent thought I could come up with. The only things I could do were sob and plead for him to stop.

He eventually removed his foot, and I panted in exertion while trying to stay conscious with white stars filling my vision.

"Crucio!" he shouted for what seemed like the hundredth time today.

My cries and screams of agony filled the room once again until he finally stopped the spell.

Draco... I have to endure this to protect Draco.

I continued to sob as tears streamed down my cheeks.

"Do anything else to her, and she might lose her mind. We still need her for information." I heard Hastings say as he walked into the room.

"Is it time for work?" Smith asked him.

"Yes. However, before you leave I suggest you bandage her leg at the very least. We don't want her to bleed to death while we're gone."

Smith pointed his wand at my leg and bandages suddenly wrapped tightly around my thigh to stop the bleeding.

"I can do a lot worse than this Mudblood. If you lie to me again, I won't hesitate to make you suffer." Smith said to me darkly.

Afterwards, he and Hastings walked through the metal door on the other side of the room and shut it behind them. The torture was finally over for the night.

The pain was almost unbearable as I continued to cry.

I was riding everything on the lie I had cooked up for him. At this point, I don't know what other lie I could come up with if they didn't figure out the message I had given them. I couldn't be anymore straightforward than what I already had been. It scared me to even think about the possibility that I had to come up with another lie for Smith to relay. I didn't want to be forced to go through this kind of torture again. I felt like I had almost reached my breaking point.

 _"Don't give up."_ Draco said in my mind for what seemed like the millionth time while holding me in his arms.

"Draco..." I sobbed with longing in my voice.

All I wanted was to be with him again and for him to be safe...

 **XXXXXX**

Harry, Ron, Neville, Hermione, Lucius, and Narcissa apparated into an alleyway next to one of the many entrances leading to the Ministry. The mostly full vial of liquid luck was clenched in Harry's right hand.

"Alright, right now it's 4:30. There's enough Felix Felicis in this vial for all of us to be able to have about two and a half hours of luck. In that time we have to tell Gawain, Ron's father, and Kingsley about the situation and find (Name)." Harry said.

"Let's get on with it already." Lucius said impatiently.

Each of them took the vial and drank a little bit of it until all of the liquid was consumed. The affects of the potion were almost instant. All of them felt extremely confident. There was absolutely no doubt in their minds that they would accomplish their goal. A feeling of infinite opportunity also overcame them. They had a certain knowing that the liquid luck knew what it was doing and would pull through for them.

The first two people who walked towards the telephone booth on the opposite side of the street were Ron and Neville. Neville dialed the number into the phone to get down to the Ministry. The portion of the phone booth they were in descended into the ground only to be replaced by a replica that came down from up above. Neville and Ron's portion continued to go down until it reached the floor of the large entrance hallway of the Ministry that was bustling with people. They stepped out of it and waited for the others.

Hermione and Harry were the next two who repeated the action. Narcissa and Lucius followed them soon after. To negate suspicion the three groups walked over to their own elevators to get to their destination. Before they left Malfoy Manor, they had decided they needed to split into two groups. Ron and Neville planned to go to the Auror's Department, and the others were going to talk to Kingsley and Ron's father. They needed to work as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The doors to the three elevators opened and they all walked into their respective elevators.

 **XXXXXX**

Harry, Hermione, Narcissa, and Lucius rode the elevators until they made it to the floor of the Ministers office. The doors opened at the same time and they stepped out. Their eyes automatically went to the clock on the wall, and they saw it was 4:45. It had taken them fifteen minutes to get where they needed to go because of the crowd.

All of them assessed the situation as they looked around the room. It wouldn't be easy to talk to Kingsley. You normally had to have an appointment. To ensure no one walked into his office unannounced, there were three desks lined up in front of Kingsley's office door which were all occupied by someone. They belonged to the Junior Assistant to the Minister of Magic, the Advisor to the Minister for Magic, and the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic. At least one person would have to be able to get past them. Another problem they might run into is the fact Kingsley might not be there. He traveled a lot for important meetings with foreign leaders.

Despite their bad odds, they knew it would work out.

The Junior Assistants phone began to ring and she answered it. At the same time, they heard the doors of another elevator open and Kingsley stepped out.

"Harry? Hermione? Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy?" he asked in confusion.

"Kingsley, we need to talk to you. It's urgent." Harry said.

He looked at each of them for a moment then nodded his head.

"It must be if all of you are together. I presume this is about Draco Malfoy?" he said perceptively.

"Yes." Narcissa said with a nod.

"It's also about (Name)." Hermione said.

Kingsley led them over to the desk of his Junior Assistant just as she hung up the phone.

"What other appointments do I have for the day?" he asked her.

"You only had your 5 o'clock appointment left but they just cancelled." she informed him.

He nodded his head and looked back over at Harry, Hermione, Narcissa, and Lucius.

"It looks like you're in luck. My schedule just opened up. Follow me."

Kingsley led them into his office, and he shut the door once they were all inside.

"So Harry, what is this all about?" Kingsley asked as he sat down in the chair behind his desk.

"Draco Malfoy is innocent." Harry said without hesitation.

"How can you be so sure?" he asked inquiringly.

"You're aware there are people working inside of the Ministry who have been acting suspiciously right?" Hermione asked.

"I am."

"Does the name Brian Smith sound familiar?"

"Yes. Gawain told me he caught him looking through his files for information on something."

"We think he's a Death Eater." Harry said.

"I'm listening." Kingsley said with a serious expression on his face.

"Last night he asked me about a woman named Ronnie Blackwell. Smith told me that you two were thinking about allowing Muggles to become more involved with the wizarding world."

"Ronnie Blackwell? I don't know anyone by that name." Kingsley said with a perplexed expression on his face.

"Well, that proves that then. He's definitely involved with them. He's been in contact with (Name) and the only way he could talk to her is if he is a Death Eater." Hermione said.

"Why do you say that?"

"The name Ronnie Blackwell is a name only a handful of people know. Those people are Harry, Ron, Neville, Ginny, (Name), and Draco. Apparently, Ron used it during one of their cases. Smith seemed to be extremely interested in knowing about the situation and tried to ask Harry about it even though he dislikes Muggles. It takes him a lot of effort to not look disgusted when he talks about them."

"How does this prove Draco Malfoy's innocence? He could have told Smith about it."

"What would be the point of Smith asking about a fictitious woman? If Draco would have been the one to tell him, then he would have known she wasn't real." Narcissa asked.

"True." Kingsley said as he nodded his head.

"He was also told to tell me something she would apparently say to make me remember who she was." Harry said.

""Dragons attitudes have a tendency of showing the worst parts of their personality and cause people to misjudge them. What I've learned is to never judge a book by its cover. They really aren't so bad. Actually, you'll find they're fairly innocent and sweet if you take the time to be with them and listen to them."" Hermione repeated.

"We believe it was (Name) trying to communicate with us through Smith. Hermione realized dragons meant Draco due to the constellation he's named after. If you interpret the message like that then she's telling us he's innocent. We talked to him earlier today, and he confirmed that it sounded like something she would say about him."

"Draco Malfoy's words won't go very far." Kingsley pointed out.

"If you would have seen him in Azkaban, I think you would believe he's innocent as well. We had our reservations at first but we can tell he's really torn up about the fact (Name) was taken by the Death Eaters."

"Our son isn't eating properly or sleeping. We visited him just last week. He's too thin and has black circles under his eyes. It's obvious he's worried about her." Narcissa said with a hint of concern on her face.

Hermione decided to speak in order to elaborate on what she saw while they were in Azkaban.

"He also almost cried when we told him the words Ronnie Blackwell would supposedly say. I've never seen so many emotions go through his face before. It was like he suddenly became a different person. He wasn't the same jerk Harry, Ron, and I had to deal with at Hogwarts. The way he reacted instantly made me realize he was innocent. If you would have seen the longing and worry in his eyes, you would also know he cares for her a great deal. There's no way he could have handed her over to the Death Eaters."

Harry nodded his head in agreement then spoke.

"It was only after that he opened up and told us what happened that night in his perspective. If what he's saying is true, and I think it is, he was framed. Smith happened to be one of the Auror's who appeared at the scene of the crime as (Name) was taken. It's entirely possible he met up with the other Death Eaters and planned the whole event. Didn't you find it suspicious we didn't have time to really investigate the situation before his trial? It all happened too quickly for it to be normal. He wasn't allowed to provide a testimony either. Someone was clearly trying to throw him into Azkaban as soon as possible."

"Yes. I did find it odd." Kingsley said with a nod.

"We're also wondering if this is a Ministry wide situation. We tried reopening the case but someone from up above prevented us from doing so. It also feels like spies are all over the Ministry working for Voldemort or something since there is someone in every department acting strangely."

"I didn't hear anything about you trying to reopen the case. If it would have been up to me, I would have allowed it. Until (Name) is found, the case shouldn't have been closed even if Draco Malfoy is behind bars." Kingsley said with a frown.

"So do you believe us then?" Hermione asked hopefully.

"I'm leaning towards it, yes. There are too many strange circumstances involved."

"Will you call Gawain and tell him to reopen the case? He won't officially allow us to do anything until he gets news from higher up that he's allowed to. Ron and Neville are talking to him right now in order to convince him to give us some reinforcements." Harry asked.

"Reinforcements for what?"

"We're going to find this woman (Name) within the next hour and forty-five minutes." Lucius declared as he looked at the clock in the room.

"Do you already know where she is?" Kingsley asked in surprise.

"No, but we all have Felix Felicis on our side for the next hour and a forty-five minutes. Draco gave it to us in order to help us find her." Hermione said.

Kingsley nodded his head in response.

"I'll call him to tell him to reopen the case. It sounds like you'll need all the help you can get. I'm going to assist you as well."

"Thank you Kingsley." Harry said gratefully.

 **XXXXXX**

Ron and Neville stepped off of the elevator and headed straight for Gawain's office. It was almost 4:55 in the afternoon when Neville knocked on the door. They were slowed down by the crowd and the people in the elevator who wanted to go to different departments.

They watched Gawain through the windows of his office as he stood up from the chair behind his desk and made his way over to the door.

"Weasley? Longbottom? You both called in sick, didn't you?" Gawain said with a perplexed expression on his face.

"Sir, can we come in?" Neville asked.

"Well, I don't know. My wife-" he started saying.

His phone began to ring and he walked over to it to answer.

"Hello?"

The person on the other end said something and he responded.

"Oh, okay. I guess I'll see you when I get home then."

Whoever it was said something else.

"It's fine dear. I know you couldn't control it."

They watched him nod his head in response to what the person on the other end said.

"I will. I love you too."

Gawain hung up and a sigh escaped his lips.

"Come in gentlemen. My wife just called me to tell me we won't be able to go out to dinner together like we had planned. Her mother decided to make a surprise visit. You two better explain to me why you called in sick."

Neville and Ron walked into his office and shut the door behind them as Gawain walked over to his desk chair and sat in it.

"Sir, we've found out some disturbing elements about (Name)'s kidnapping." Neville said.

"What?" Gawain asked in surprise.

"Last night Smith spoke to us and told us about a woman named Ronnie Blackwell. She's supposedly talking with the Minister about allowing Muggle's to become more involved with the wizarding world."

"There's no woman by that name. I would be the first to know about it. They would have informed me of the situation, so I could dispatch some of you to protect her." Gawain said with a perplexed expression on his face.

Ron and Neville looked at each other and nodded.

"Then that confirms it. If Ronnie Blackwell isn't real than it must have been (Name) after all." Ron said.

"What must have been (Name)?"

"As I said, Smith told us about a woman named Ronnie Blackwell. There are very few people who know that name and the fact it would have meaning for us. It was the same one Ron used during one of our cases. The only people who know about it are me, Ron, Harry, Ron's sister, (Name), and Malfoy." Neville said with a serious expression on his face.

A look of interest appeared on Gawain's face but he didn't say anything to interrupt him as Neville continued to speak.

"He also told us something she would say, "Dragons attitudes have a tendency of showing the worst parts of their personality and cause people to misjudge them. What I've learned is to never judge a book by its cover. They really aren't so bad. Actually, you'll find they're fairly innocent and sweet if you take the time to be with them and listen to them." We think it was (Name) speaking through him. She was talking about Malfoy."

"What do dragons have to do with Malfoy?" Gawain asked.

"His first name is Draco. Draco is the name of the dragon constellation, the same one he was named after. She wouldn't be able to tell us anything without encrypting it somehow." Neville said.

"We spoke with Malfoy earlier today. That's why we took the day off. He's confirmed all of our theories and helped us make more. We believe this may be a Ministry wide operation." Ron said.

"Malfoy's words aren't very convincing." Gawain pointed out.

"All of us know Smith has been acting suspiciously. You said so yourself when you found him in here trying to look through your files. He doesn't like Muggles either and has been asking strange questions. It's not impossible. Aren't there also others in the Ministry who are acting strangely? Didn't it seem odd to you that they threw Malfoy into Azkaban without giving us a chance to do a proper investigation? He also wasn't allowed to give a testimony at his trial. Then when Harry, Neville, and I tried reopening the case we were denied by someone higher up."

"Yes, I did." he said with a nod.

"We think he's one of the Death Eaters. How else would he know about Ronnie Blackwell?" Neville said.

"Malfoy could have told him."

"Wouldn't that still implicate him even if Malfoy isn't innocent? Absolutely no one else knows that name. I also want to add the fact that there would have been no reason for him to ask about her. If Malfoy would have been the one to tell him about Ronnie Blackwell, he would have already known she wasn't real." Neville pointed out.

A sigh escaped Gawain's lips, and he spoke.

"As much as I want to believe all of this, it's all circumstantial. There's no physical proof Smith is a Death Eater. I can't go around arresting people because they're suspicious."

"We're not here for you to arrest him just yet." Ron said.

"Then why are you here?" Gawain asked in confusion.

"We need backup. In the next hour and forty-seven minutes we're going to find (Name) and there will more than likely be Death Eaters all over the place. She'll be able to confirm or disprove our theories." Neville said.

Gawain looked at them with wide eyes.

"How can you be so sure? She could be dead for all we know. It's been ten months." he asked flabbergasted.

Ron spoke.

"If our theory is right then she's still alive and told us Malfoy's innocent. We have liquid luck on our side thanks to him. He may be a git, but I actually believe he is innocent after talking to him and that's coming from a Weasley. You know how much our families dislike each other."

"I'm sure you're aware of what the potion Felix Felicis does, sir?" Neville asked.

"I am." Gawain said with a nod before Ron spoke again.

"There's no way Malfoy couldn't be innocent. Why would he give us his liquid luck to find the one person who could tell us otherwise? And the second we told him the message about dragons the poor bloke almost cried and then actually begged for us to save her. He told us about what happened that night. How he was framed by the Death Eaters. It was Smith who happened to appear at just the right moment. It's entirely possible Smith talked to the other Death Eaters and planned the whole thing."

Gawain stared at them for a few long moments before another sigh came from his lips.

"I can't do anything until I get the okay. We're not allowed to reopen the case."

"That's why Hermione, Harry, Lucius Malfoy, and Narcissa Malfoy are going to talk to Kingsley." Ron informed him.

"What?" Gawain asked in shock.

"If he gives us the okay, then we can continue right?" Neville asked.

"You're really sure of all of this?" Gawain asked as he looked back and forth between them.

"Yes." Neville and Ron said without hesitation.

"Alright. Fine. If Kingsley gives his consent, we'll do what we need to do. Quite frankly I hate seeing your group so gloomy all the time. Besides, how am I going to yell at her for being late if she's not here?"

"Thank you, sir." Neville said gratefully.

Right after that, the phone to Gawain's office rang and he answered it.

"Hello?"

The person spoke and his eyes widened.

"Ah, Kingsley."

Kingsley spoke again.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom are in my office right now."

Gawain's eyes widened in surprise as Kingsley said something else.

"I will."

He hung up the phone and looked at Ron and Neville.

"It looks like Harry, Miss Granger, and Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy have managed to convince him to allow us to reopen the case. He's also given us permission to question Smith with Veritaserum. We should be able to find out if he's involved, who else is involved, and where (Name) is. We'll have to slip it in something inconspicuously. In the meantime, we have to stop everyone from leaving. If we're going to have backup, everyone is going to have to work overtime." Gawain said as he stood up.

The three men walked out of the office and headed into the main part of the department. They could tell several people couldn't wait to leave as their eyes shifted over to the clock on the wall while they worked at their desks.

Gawain placed the tip of his wand against his throat and used the Sonorus Charm to project his voice over the entire room.

"Everyone let me have your attention for a moment."

Looks of confusion were present on everyone's faces as they looked over at him. Neville and Ron quickly looked at Smith who was just as confused as everyone else.

"Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom have brought something important to my attention. If everything runs smoothly, I'll need as many people as possible. No one here is allowed to leave until I tell them they can, understand?"

"Yes sir!" everyone in the room shouted.

"Smith, you don't mind coming to my office do you?" Gawain asked.

"No." Smith said with a perplexed expression on his face as he shook his head.

Gawain removed the tip of his wand from his throat as Smith made it over to them.

"Weasley, why don't you make us some coffee? It's been a rather long day, and Smith looks exhausted." Gawain said while they looked at the dark circles under Smiths eyes.

"Yes, sir." Ron said.

Neville, Gawain, and Smith headed to Gawain's office while Ron walked over to the break room. He made coffee as instructed while wondering how he was going to get his hands on some Veritaserum.

 **XXXXXX**

Kingsley opened one of the drawers in his desk and took out a vial of Veritaserum.

"Here." Kingsley said as he handed it to Harry.

"Thanks Kingsley." Harry said gratefully.

"I'm going to gather up a few people from the Order. I'm sure they'll want to be involved and we're going to need all the help we can get." Kingsley said as he stood up.

"We're going to ask Ron's father for help." Hermione told him.

"That's fine. I'll focus on gathering the others then."

They all left Kingsley's office and headed for the elevators.

"You wouldn't mind if we just headed for the Auror's Department with the Veritaserum, do you?" Narcissa asked Harry.

It was obvious they didn't want to talk to Mr. Weasley.

"That's fine. We can kill two birds with one stone that way." Harry said with a nod as he handed her the Veritaserum.

When the elevators arrived, Kingsley, Harry and Hermione, Narcissa and Lucius stepped into their respective elevators and headed their separate ways.

Harry and Hermione made it to the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects at 5:25. Arthur Weasley, Ron's father, was head of the department. They immediately caught sight of the red-haired man as they stepped out of the elevator. He was talking to one of his employees.

"Mr. Weasley, we need to talk to you." Hermione said to him once they reached him.

"What is it?" Mr. Weasley asked with curiosity in his voice.

"Let's talk about it in your office." Harry suggested.

"Alright." he said with a nod.

They walked into his office which was on the other side of the room, and Harry shut the door behind them.

"What can I do for you two?" Mr. Weasley asked with a pleasant smile once he sat down in his desk chair.

"We need your help with the Death Eaters." Harry said.

"The Death Eaters?" he asked in surprise.

They quickly explained the situation and by the time they were done Mr. Weasley was looking at them flabbergasted.

"Extraordinary. Absolutely extraordinary. All of these Death Eaters right under our noses and we didn't even realize it. Did you say Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy are actually teaming up with us?"

"That's right. They're willing to do anything to get their son out of Azkaban." Harry said.

"It would seem so. I guess then I'll have to try to get along with them?"

"If possible, yes." Hermione said with a nod.

"I'll see what I can do. I can't make any promises." Mr. Weasley said causing Harry to look at him in amusement.

Mr. Weasley stood up and spoke again.

"Let's go to the Auror's Department then, shall we?" he asked with a smile.

 **XXXXXX**

When the coffee was finished Ron finally found out where he was going to get the Veritaserum from. Lucius and Narcissa walked into the break room with a vial of it in their possession.

"How did you get that?" Ron asked in surprise.

"Kingsley apparently has some hidden in his office." Lucius said.

Ron nodded is head and put three drops of the potion inside of one of the cups of coffee.

"Until he drinks this, you two need to stay hidden. We don't want him to become suspicious." Ron informed them.

They nodded their heads and he walked back over Gawain's office and handed the small cup of spiked coffee to Smith. He looked over at the clock and noticed it was 5:35.

"What do you need, sir?" Smith asked timidly.

"I'm considering giving you a promotion." Gawain lied smoothly.

"Really?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes. Seeing as how (Name) is no longer here Potter, Weasley, and Longbottom need a new team member. You proved yourself quite useful after capturing the Death Eater Draco Malfoy."

Smith brought the coffee to his lips and drank a couple of gulps of it.

"It was nothing, really." he said modestly.

"Nothing? It was certainly something. You handed over a dangerous man who worked for the Ministry. Who knows who else he could have handed over to the Death Eaters if you wouldn't have stopped him? That kind of thing deserves a reward."

Smith drank more of his coffee and then spoke.

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate it."

Afterwards, Smith quickly drank the last of his coffee and spoke as he stood up.

"Well, I'll go back to work. Thank you so much for the opportunity." he said.

"Wait, there's something I want to ask you before you leave." he said as Smith opened the door to the office.

"What is it, sir?" he asked.

"Are you involved with the Death Eaters?"

"Yes." he answered without hesitation.

His eyes widened in alarm as he realized what happened and before they could stop him he ran out of the office.

"Hey!" Ron shouted as he and Neville ran after him.

They didn't have to run far. Lucius and Narcissa both had their wands out and were pointing them at Smith threatening at the other end of the hallway. Behind them were Harry, Hermione, and Mr. Weasley.

"And where do you think you're going Smith?" Lucius asked.

"Lucius..." Smith said in shock.

"You're going to tell all of us what we want to know." Narcissa ordered.

"Incarcerous." Lucius said.

Conjured rope shot out from the tip of his wand and wrapped around Smith's body causing him to fall back onto the floor. Everyone in the department who didn't know what was going on watched the spectacle play out in front of them with wide eyes. Ron and Neville forced him back up onto his feet and pulled him back into Gawain's office as he struggled against them.

"Sir, what's going on?" one of the Auror's asked in disbelief.

"I'll tell all of you everything later when I have more information." Gawain said.

Gawain, Harry, Neville, Ron, Hermione, Lucius, Narcissa, and Mr. Weasley walked into the office. Once Neville and Ron forced Smith back into the chair he had been sitting in only moments before, they stared at him while he glared at them.

"Now that we've established you are in fact involved with the Death Eaters, are you one of them?" Gawain asked.

"Yes." Smith smiled proudly.

"Where is (Name)?" Neville asked.

"The filthy Mudblood is in the Hastings Manor in Wiltshire England." he said with anger in his voice.

"Hastings?" Mr. Weasley said in disbelief.

"Mudblood? Are you saying this woman is a Muggle-born witch?" Narcissa asked in disbelief.

"Yes. It's appalling to think your son became interested in a Mudblood, isn't it?" Smith said in disgust.

"Excuse me?" Lucius asked in shock.

"Now is not the time to discuss this." Ron said.

Narcissa and Lucius looked at him with frowns on their lips but nodded their heads in agreement.

"Why did you kidnap her?" Harry asked.

"We wanted information on the weaknesses of the Ministry so that we could exploit them. We also wanted to know anything involving you, Kingsley, and whatever else we found relevant. She's been less than cooperative. The vile Mudblood keeps lying to us instead."

"Like the lie about Ronnie Blackwell?" Hermione asked.

"Yes... How did all of you figure it out?"

"The last lie you told us. It's obvious she told us Draco was innocent."

His eyes widened in surprise before it looked like the cogs in his mind started to turn. Anger appeared on his face.

"That filthy little Mudblood! That's what this was all about! I'll kill her! I'll kill her!" he roared with a crazed look in his eyes.

Everyone looked at him in surprise from his sudden change of attitude. He was no longer the timid man they usually saw. What they had uncovered was a man who had an extremely short fuse and a deep hatred towards (Name).

Gawain waited for him to calm down then spoke to him.

"I believe I already have the answer, but I want to hear it from you. Is Draco Malfoy involved with the Death Eaters?" Gawain asked.

"No. It was a good plan though, wasn't it? Of course everyone would suspect someone who was once a Death Eater in the past instead of us. Everyone bought it for quite a while." he said with a proud smirk on his face.

Hermione looked over at the clock and spoke with a serious expression on her face.

"It's already 6:00. We should decide what we're going to do to rescue (Name). We can ask him more about the situation once she's safe."

"What are we going to do, though? There's going to be Death Eaters all over the place when we arrive." Ron asked.

"Where is she inside of the manor?" Neville asked.

"She's in the cellar." Smith said.

"So the only question now is how are we going to get inside? Do we have to do anything special?" Hermione asked.

"No but they obviously won't let you inside. You're not one of us. And I'm sure they'll get her out of there long before you could reach her. She's as good as dead. After they find out she's only a liability, they'll kill her and I'll make sure they find out." he said with a smirk.

Hermione looked at everyone with a frown and spoke.

"The only way we can get inside is if we disguise ourselves as a Death Eater."

"Polyjuice Potion?" Harry asked.

"That's right. However, it would take far too long to make it."

"We won't have to do that. (Name) is always prepared for anything we might need. She has some in her desk." Neville said.

"What?" Smith asked in disbelief.

"Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy and Arthur keep an eye on him. We need to get ready for our raid." Gawain said.

"I'm coming with." Narcissa said.

"But Mrs. Malfoy-" Gawain started saying in surprise.

"We have less than 1 hour before we run out of luck. You don't have time to search for the cellar to find her. I know exactly where it is. Lucius and I used to be well acquainted with Hastings. I'll use the potion to get her out of the manor before the Felix Felicis wears off."

He looked at her for a moment and nodded his head.

"Fine. Mr. Malfoy and Arthur stay here to keep an eye on him and ask him for more information."

They nodded their heads in agreement. It didn't look like they were pleased by the turn of events but they didn't argue and focused on Smith as the others left the room.

The others walked to the end of the short hallway and everyone in the main part of the department stared at them with curious expressions on their faces. Gawain placed the tip of his wand against his throat for the second time today and spoke with use of the Sonorus Charm.

"Alright, everyone listen up. We're going to raid the Hastings Manor in Wiltshire. We've found out where (Name) is."

"What? You think she's there?" they heard Lockhart ask in disbelief.

"We know she's there."

The entire room exploded into conversation before Gawain spoke again.

"Everyone pay attention!"

Everyone in the room fell silent again as they looked back over at him.

"We only have until 7 o'clock to make all of this work. There's no time for talking. Everyone get ready to leave."

"Yes, sir!" everyone in the room shouted.

Gawain removed the wand from his throat and looked over at Narcissa.

"You're going to be the most crucial part of our plan. You need to get to (Name) before we begin the raid and try to get her out without being noticed."

Narcissa nodded her head in understanding. She, Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione walked over to (Name)'s desk. Hermione opened up the bottom desk drawer and looked through the vials of potions inside of it until she found what she was looking for.

"Here it is. Polyjuice Potion." Hermione said as she picked up the vial and read the label on the outside of the bottle.

Narcissa changed into the clothes Smith was wearing and yanked a hair off of his head as painfully as she could. Then Kingsley arrived with Bill Weasley, Fleur Weasley, Molly Weasley, George Weasley, Charlie Weasley, and Ginny Weasley in tow.

Bill, Charlie, George and Ginny walked over to Gawain's office and their eyes were wide when they walked over to Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Neville.

"Bloody hell, Lucius Malfoy and our dad are actually getting along?" George asked in disbelief.

"I think the sky is falling." Charlie said in amazement.

"I don't believe it either." Bill said.

"How did all of this happen?" Ginny asked Harry.

"It's a long story. Let's just say that we've all temporarily united." Hermione said.

"Yes, it is indeed temporary." Narcissa said in agreement as she walked over to them.

"Everyone lets go! We only have forty-five minutes!" Gawain shouted.

The large group walked out of the Ministry together and apparated to an area of trees in front of Hastings Manor. Narcissa opened the vial of Polyjuice Potion and placed Smith's hair inside of the thick mud like substance. She looked down at it in disgust knowing it was going to taste vile just by looking at it as it changed to dark green. Since she knew she didn't have any other choice but to drink it, she decided to quickly gulp it down. It took all of her will power to fight the urge to throw it up when she tasted something she didn't want to describe.

Immediately, she felt like something was writhing around in her stomach and she dropped the vial as the potion took affect. She held her stomach and bent over when it felt like she was going to be sick. Then she felt a burning sensation rapidly spread from her fingers and toes. A gasp came from her lips as she fell to her hands and knees. Her skin felt like it was melting and began to bubble. Her hands began to change shape as they grew in size and became more masculine looking. Pain shot through her shoulders as they stretch painfully and she felt her hair slowly decrease in length. Her chest flattened and she grew large enough that her entire body fit into the clothes she was wearing.

She knew the potion had worked as she stood back up.

"I don't know the potency of it. The potion could last anywhere between ten minutes to twelve hours." Hermione informed her.

"The last time we had it, the potion lasted about three hours." Ron said.

"Good. I'll have her out of there long before then." Narcissa said with Smiths voice.

"Be extremely careful. You only have thirty minutes." Gawain said to her.

She nodded her head in response.

After that she walked out from the trees and crossed the dirt road between them and Hastings Manor. She walked over to the front door and knocked on it. A servant answered the door and immediately let him in as the house elf looked at her with fear on its face.

"Ah, Smith, you're here to torture the Mudblood again?" she heard a woman say.

Narcissa looked over and barely maintained a neutral expression on her face when she saw Alice Hardcastle walk over to her.

"Of course, that filthy little Mudblood deserves it." Narcissa said with malice in her voice.

"She does. I already spent the last hour trying to torture her for information today but she's not cooperating again. She's really trying my patience. If I had my way, I would slaughter her and go with a different plan. It's obvious she's not going to work with us. Hastings is just too stubborn to see it."

"I can't wait until he finally relents. Slicing into her flesh will be quite a sight." an average looking man with dark brown hair and brown eyes said gleefully.

She didn't recognize who he was.

"You could just slice into her right now if you wanted Nicholas. Our friend here already did." Hardcastle said while smirking at Narcissa.

"I know. I saw. Thanks to that I've decided to do the same later tonight when I torture her. Just doing the Cruciatus Curse day in and day out is rather boring."

"Well you're going to have to wait your turn. I'm going down there right now to continue where I left off." Narcissa said with a fake sadistic smirk on her lips.

They nodded their heads, and she walked towards the stairs leading down to the basement. The cold stone hallway was lit by torches hanging from the walls.

She had to fight a frown from coming to her lips due to the new information she had acquired. It wasn't that she particularly cared for the Mudblood but she knew her son did. If anything happened to her, she didn't know how he would react. He had actually asked Potter, Weasley, Granger, and Longbottom for help to save her. Why he cared so much about her was something she couldn't comprehend. She knew they had taught him better than to associate himself with someone like her. However, she didn't want to see him in pain. That's why she decided to help even though she found out (Name) was a Mudblood.

It didn't take her long to reach the heavy metal door of the cellar and she pushed it opened.

Inside she saw a familiar looking woman chained to the wall sobbing. It was obvious she had been extensively tortured during the last ten months. She saw fresh blood all over her arms and blood soaked bandages around her right thigh. Her t-shirt also had blood stains and she noticed blood on the floor next to her. Narcissa's eyes went over the word "Mudblood" carved into her inner left forearm as the woman lifted her head and stared at her with her (e/c) eyes. There was a small hint of fear in them that she quickly masked as she stared at her with a neutral expression.

Narcissa closed the door and walked over to her. She watched the woman mentally prepare herself for the torture she thought was going to come as Narcissa lifted her wand and pointed it at her. Instead, Narcissa raised her wand up higher and pointed it at her shackles.

"Alohomora." she whispered.

 **XXXXXX**

My eyes widened in surprise when the person I originally thought was Smith tried to unlock the shackles around my wrists. A frown appeared on their lips while they stared at my wrists. When our eyes connected, I realized they didn't have their usual malice.

"The unlocking spell doesn't work on the shackles?" they asked quietly.

"You're not Smith." I stated weakly.

"No. Now answer the question."

"No. When I was first captured, I used wandless magic to release myself from them and they made it so I couldn't do it again." I explained.

"Where's the key?"

"Hastings has it. I take it you're using Polyjuice Potion?"

"Yes."

"Who are you?"

"Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother."

My eyes widened in surprise.

Draco's mother is here? That's definitely not something I expected.

"Is he alright? He's safe right? Hastings didn't do anything to him, did he?" I asked before I could stop myself.

She looked at me in surprise before stiffly nodding her head.

"He's fine. Thanks to you everyone's realized Draco is innocent and Smith is currently being questioned with Veritaserum flowing through him."

A weak smile appeared on my lips.

"So my plan worked?"

"Yes."

"Thank god." I said with relief in my voice.

He's finally going to be freed. He's finally going to be safe.

"Now isn't the time to feel relieved. We're not out of this yet. I need to get you out of here before the raid can start."

"You'll have to wait until Hastings gets here. No one else has the key."

"We don't have time to wait for that. We only have seventeen minutes. It's going to take me a little bit just to get you out of here." she said while looking at the watch around her wrist.

"Then what do you suggest?" I asked in confusion.

Narcissa raised her wand and pointed it at the chain of the shackles.

"Diffindo."

Her spell cut through the chain and my arms fell limply to my sides causing the chain to clink loudly onto the stone floor. I flinched as pain coursed through my left forearm and wrists.

"Can you stand?"

"Not on my own. Smith stabbed my right thigh a couple of times last night."

She nodded her head and crouched down next to me on my right and brought her left arm around my back.

"I'll count to three then I'll pick you up. If you've been stabbed, there's no way you could walk."

I nodded my head and mentally prepared myself for the pain that was going to come.

"One... Two... Three." she counted.

She swiftly brought her right arm under my knees and forced my legs to bend as she picked me up bridal style. At the same time, I had to clench my teeth together to stop a scream of agony from coming out of my lips as I tightly closed my eyes. White stars filled my vision and I instinctively wrapped my right arm around the back of her shoulders in an attempt to deal with the pain.

It was a few minutes before I could relax a little and I opened my eyes while panting in exhaustion.

"Can we move now?"

"Yes. Let's get out of here before someone finds out what's going on." I said with pain in my voice.

I placed the chain of my shackles on my upper body to prevent them from clinking as she carried me out of the room. We made it into the familiar hallway on the other side of the door and she turned right. As quickly and quietly as possible, she carried me over to the bottom of a set of stairs at the very end of the hallway. She slowly walked up the stone steps while we looked around to make sure the coast was clear.

It was obvious the moment we made it up to the main floor we were inside of some sort of manor. There were elegant furnishings all over the place as we walked down a massive hallway. She froze the moment we heard voices and I looked over to the side and used wandless magic to open the door next to us. As quickly as she could, she walked into the room and I shut the door behind us.

"Something strange is happening." I heard what sounded like a man named Lewis Ray say.

He worked in the same department as Arthur Weasley.

"What do you mean?" Nicholas asked.

"When I was about to leave, I caught sight of the entire Auror's Department leaving the Ministry along with Arthur's entire family."

"What?" Hardcastle asked in surprise.

"I asked one of them about it and was told they managed to locate the Mudblood."

"Did you get the chance to ask them where they were going?"

"No." he said before their voices finally faded out.

We waited for a few moments before Narcissa whispered in my ear.

"Open up the door. We need to get out of here."

I nodded my head in agreement then used my magic to open the door once again. She quickly walked out into the hallway and made her way towards a large foyer. We stopped and listened for any noise. After that she suddenly bolted towards the front French doors.

"Open them. We don't have much time." she ordered tensely.

I quickly did as she asked and we barreled out of the front doors to the manor. In order to prevent suspicion, I shut the doors behind us while she continued to run forward. However, Hastings suddenly apparated onto the pathway and she immediately stopped running. He looked at us in surprise but before he could say anything, I immediately raised my right arm and pointed my fingers at him.

"Immobulus!" I shouted.

He quickly dived to the side and avoided the spell.

"Expelliarmus!" he shouted.

I swung my hand straight up and down.

"Protego!" I shouted back.

The spell hit the shield instead and he glared at me.

"You really are a nuisance. I should have taken everyone's advice and killed you before it came to this."

The doors behind us burst open and I heard Nicholas shout.

"There they are!"

Narcissa tensed up and we watched as the group of Death Eaters circled around us.

"I must say I'm surprised with you Smith-" Hardcastle started saying.

"That isn't Smith. He's been detained by the Auror's. I noticed everyone but him leaving the department and decided to investigate. What I found was Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley questioning him." Hastings said.

"Then who is this?" Nicholas asked referring to Narcissa.

"An Auror no doubt." Ray said.

"It's finally the end of the line for you. Do you have any last prayers Mudblood?" Hastings asked as he raised his wand and pointed it at me.

"Just one."

I quickly whispered to Narcissa.

"You said this was a raid right?"

"Yes." she whispered back with a questioning gaze.

"Good."

I placed my pointer finger on my neck and used the Sonorus Charm to make my voice as loud as possible. I knew everyone was close by. If I could shout for them, they'll come to our aid.

"Harry! Get over here now!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

Everyone looked at me in confusion and surprise except for Hastings.

"Avada Kedavra!" he shouted angrily.

"Inciampare!" I shouted as I pointed at Narcissa.

She tripped and fell forward due to my trip jinx causing the curse to fly right over us. A scream of agony came from my lips as she landed on top of my bad leg and me. White stars came to my vision and I tightly closed my eyes to fight the pain.

"(Name)!" I heard Harry, Ron, and Neville shout through my scream.

Narcissa quickly climbed off of me and I instinctively grabbed onto my leg as if that would help ease the pain. It only resulted in pain surging through my left arm. I remained where I was as I waited for the pain to die down until I could finally relax while shouts filled the air around me. When I opened my eyes, I saw a large group of Auror's and Weasley's fighting the Death Eaters.

"Try anything, and I kill whoever this is." I heard Nicholas say.

I looked up and noticed he had the tip of his wand against Narcissa's throat. The Auror's who had been fighting him immediately stopped. My mind went into overdrive as I tried to come up with a spell.

"Funem Ignis!" I shouted as I made a whip-like wave with my pointer finger.

His eyes widened in surprise when a thin flame of fire shot out from the tip of my finger and wrapped around his wrist like a rope. He yelled out in pain as it burnt his wrist and instinctively let go of his wand. Narcissa quickly took her chance and elbowed him in the stomach to get away. She ran forward a few steps then turned around and pointed her wand at him along with the other Auror's who were surrounding him. When he looked down at me with anger, I smirked in response as I broke the spell.

"Do you honestly think I'm going to let you do anything to Draco's mother? Petrificus Totalus!" I shouted and pointed at him again.

His body went completely stiff before he fell back onto the ground.

It wasn't long after that all of the other Death Eaters were captured. A sigh escaped my lips when it was finally all over and I placed my head down onto the ground as I relaxed while still on my side.

"(Name)." Harry said as he, Ron, and Neville walked over to me.

"Hello. Thanks for the backup." I said with a weak smile.

"You look like hell." Ron said.

I couldn't help but crack a smile at that.

"Thanks Ron. That's definitely the first thing I wanted to hear from you." I said in amusement.

Gawain and Kingsley walked over to us.

"Kingsley, get Draco out of Azkaban, will you? Don't allow anyone to put him on the chopping block." I said before they could say anything.

"I doubt anything will happen to Mr. Malfoy now. He's been proven innocent thanks to your efforts." Kingsley said.

A sigh escaped my lips, and I tiredly closed my eyes.

"Good."

I already knew the last part, but having the actual Minister tell me nothing else will happen to him is reassuring.

"I think we should take you to St. Mungo's hospital. You're a little worse for wear." Gawain said.

A chuckle escaped my lips.

"A little? I feel like I've been through hell and back again."

I opened my eyes again and looked back up at Kingsley.

"Kingsley, promise me that you'll get Draco a retrial as soon as possible. He doesn't need to be in there anymore."

"I'll see what I can do. This is going to be a lot for everyone to take in. We might need you there for the trial. It'll add credibility to the case against them."

"Fine... That might be better anyway. I want to tell all those old sods off for throwing him in there in the first place." I said with a sigh.

After that I closed my eyes and spoke again.

"I'm going to take a nap. You guys don't mind, do you?" I asked softly.

"No. It looks like you need it." Neville said.

"Make sure to tell Draco I'm still alive, will you?"

"We will." Harry promised.

"Thank you." I said before I felt sleep finally take over me.

It was finally over.


	18. Chapter 14: The Aftermath

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter! I hope all of you like it! Thank you so much for all the support I've received so far!

Please tell me what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 14: The Aftermath**

Draco couldn't get any sleep as he paced nervously back and forth in his small cell all night long. He was too worried about the outcome of yesterday's events. He needed to know if (Name) was safe.

The moment the prison guard came by he asked him for the newspaper. It wasn't hard to miss the article he was looking for. It was all on the first page of the Daily Prophet.

 ** _Large Group of Death Eaters Working for the_**  
 ** _Ministry Captured!_**

 _Last night the Auror's Department had its hands full._  
 _After further investigation into the kidnapping_  
 _of Ministry Auror (First Name) (Last Name), she was_  
 _found later last night in Hastings Manor and taken_  
 _to St. Mungo's hospital. Further investigation is going_  
 _on to determine why she was there. There were also_  
 _many women and men working for the Ministry who_  
 _have been arrested on suspicion of being a Death_  
 _Eater including Wizengamot Rex Hastings. If this is_  
 _the case, it'll be the largest amount of Death Eaters_  
 _thrown into Azkaban since You-Know-Who was_  
 _defeated four years ago!_

A frown appeared on his lips. The news article was supposed to ease his troubles but instead it only made him worry about her even more. She was now in St. Mungo's hospital. It could be for a variety of reasons, but his mind only wanted to think of the worst scenario. He hated to think about what she might have been through during the last ten months. It was entirely possible she was tortured until insanity like Longbottom's parents. That thought made his stomach tighten as he sat down on the floor with his knees pulled close to his chest. He was left to worry while trapped in his cell once again.

It was a little after lunch time when Potter, Weasley, Granger, and Longbottom came to his cell. He quickly stood up and looked at them.

"Why is she in St. Mungo's hospital? Is she alright? What happened?" he asked with worry in his voice before they could even say anything.

"She'll be fine Draco. It's nothing a few healing potions can't handle." Granger told him reassuringly.

"Right now she's just recovering. It seems she was tortured extensively during the last ten months for information like you thought. They went as far as to use a knife on her and carved the word..." Longbottom said before trailing off.

"Carved what word?" Draco asked with concern.

"Mudblood. They carved the word Mudblood into her inner left forearm." Granger said while instinctively rubbing her own inner left forearm.

"What?" Draco said with anger in his voice.

They marred her skin with that vile word?!

"They also stabbed her right thigh a couple of times." Longbottom said with a frown.

"Those bloody bastards!" Draco shouted with uncontrolled anger.

He began to pace back and forth, this time not because of worry, he was furious. He wanted to beat whoever hurt her senseless.

"We also think you should know she had deep wounds on her wrists as well. It's possible they were created by the shackles that were around them when we found her. The nurse seemed to think they were made by something digging into them. Your mother believes she was chained to the wall in the cellar while they were torturing her and pulled down on them." Potter said with a frown.

He was surprised his parents knew about her injuries but he pushed the fact to the back of his mind. All he could focus on were the wounds (Name) had sustained.

"Will... Will they scar?" Draco asked hesitantly.

"Yes. That's why we thought we should tell you now, so you won't be surprised when you see her. The nurse tried to stop as much scarring as she could but you can still see what happened." Weasley said.

"Tell me who did it, so I can beat them senseless." Draco ordered with obvious anger in his voice again.

"Smith was the one who used the knife on her. He'll be here later today so you can do whatever you want." Potter said without hesitation.

"Harry!" Granger said in disbelief.

"What? I think he deserves it."

"Make sure to beat him up for us as well." Weasley said.

Longbottom nodded his head in agreement then spoke.

"We might not be able to do it, but we know you can without getting into too much trouble. How much worse can it get than already being in Azkaban?"

Granger looked at them flabbergasted while Draco smirked although there was still obvious anger in his eyes.

"I will. I can assure you of that. I'll beat him up the old fashioned Muggle way just like (Name) did to me in our third year. This time though the professors won't be around to stop me from beating him to a pulp."

Potter, Weasley, and Longbottom smirked and nodded their heads in satisfaction.

"I don't believe this." Granger muttered to herself.

"There are certain times when a man has to do what a man has to do. This is one of those times." Weasley said.

"But what if he gets in trouble?"

"I don't care. If I get in trouble for defending (Name), then so be it. At least I'll know it was for a good cause. I'm going to teach those bastards a lesson they'll never forget." Draco said.

"Then we'll leave it up to you Malfoy. Rex Hastings, Luis Nicholas, Alice Hardcastle, and Lewis Ray are also involved. They'll be here in a couple of days. I'm sure you will make your last days here quite eventful, right?" Potter asked with a smirk.

"I will. Make sure to tell me the names of the others involved before they arrive so I can do something to them as well." Draco said with a smirk back on his lips.

"I will."

"We will." Weasley and Neville said with a smirk.

"Men." Granger said with a deep sigh.

When dinner came around, Draco walked out of his cell along with the others and headed towards the cafeteria. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on the person he was looking for. He decided to actually eat all of his dinner for a change then walked over to Smith while he was still eating. He tapped on his shoulder and Smith looked back at him.

Once he realized it was Draco standing behind him, Smith's eyes widened in surprise.

"This is for (Name) you bloody bastard!" he shouted with anger as he pulled back his right fist and punched him square in the face.

It took Smith a few moments to recover but when he did he glared at him.

"You...! You bastard!" Smith shouted angrily before he bashed his body into his.

They both fell to the floor. Smith, who was on top of him, began to beat on him and spoke with disgust in his voice.

"All of this for a pathetic Mudblood? You've really fallen from grace, haven't you? To think you actually care for filth like her. I wonder what everyone else would think, especially your parents, if they knew."

"I don't bloody care what anyone thinks least of all you!" Draco shouted angrily.

His response took Smith off guard and he was able to force them to switch positions. Then he punched Smith hard enough in the face to break his nose. He continued to beat him to a pulp until they were forced apart by the prison guards inside of the room.

He was immediately taken back to his cell, but he didn't care. He didn't care he received a black eye, what felt like a bruised cheek and a split lip from the fight either. In fact, it felt extremely good to beat Smith to a pulp for what he had done to (Name). It was the first time he was actually able to do something after being forced to worry about her behind bars.

There was anger and pent up frustration inside of him he could no longer contain. He hated the fact he wasn't able to do anything to help her while they tortured her. A part of him also blamed himself for not protecting her and preventing anything from happening to her to begin with. This was his way of defending her and doing what he should have done at the very beginning. At this point, he didn't care if he looked like a bloodtraitor. He would always proudly defend her. He didn't care what anyone thought about him anymore. The only one who had an opinion that matter to him was (Name).

 **XXXXXX**

I opened my eyes and looked around. It was obvious I was inside of St. Mungo's hospital. The nurse was checking up on me when I woke up. A smile appeared on her lips the moment she realized I was awake.

"You're finally awake." she said.

"How long have I been here?" I asked.

"Three days. It's taken you a lot of time to recover after all the stuff you've been through."

"I see." I said.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't really prevent all of the scarring, but we tried to mitigate it as much as we could."

"Scarring is the last of my worries. Do you know what's going on out there in the big bad world? Have you heard anything about a retrial date for Draco Malfoy?"

Suddenly Hermione spoke.

"No, it hasn't been scheduled yet. We were waiting until you woke up."

I looked over to the right as Harry, Ron, Neville, Hermione, and Ginny walked into the room.

"Well, I want one scheduled as soon as possible. I'm awake and tired of the fact he's in Azkaban for something he didn't commit." I said.

"She's already telling us what to do and she only just woke up." Ron said.

"When will she be released?" Neville asked the nurse.

"It could be as soon as two days to a week. Everything depends on how fast she recovers." the nurse said.

"We'll have to wait to schedule it until we know you're out." Hermione said.

A sigh escaped my lips, and I begrudgingly nodded.

"Fine. Someone at least told Draco that I'm fine, right?" I asked.

"We did." Harry said with a smirk.

I looked at him, Ron, and Neville wearily. All of them had matching smirks and it was rather unsettling.

"...What's up with those smirks? It's unsettling. Harry's usually the only one who gets it and it's always because he's up to something. When all of you have it that normally means trouble."

"Malfoy's just decided to spice up the last days he's in Azkaban. That's all." Ron said.

"Why don't I like the sound of that?" I asked wearily.

"You don't need to worry. I think it's his way of finally being able to get rid of some pent up energy. I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing if I was in his shoes." Neville said.

"Do you know what in the world they're talking about?" I asked Hermione and Ginny.

"Draco decided he wanted to beat the people who tortured you senseless and Harry, Ron, and Neville encouraged it! They even told him who they were and when they would be arriving!" Hermione said.

I looked at them flabbergasted.

"You're joking." I said in disbelief.

"I'll say the same thing to you as I did to Hermione. There are certain times when a man has to do what a man has to do. This is one of those times. He's doing it to defend you, you know." Ron said.

"To defend me?" I asked in surprise.

A blush appeared on my cheeks at the thought. I couldn't help but feel strangely flattered by Draco's gesture.

"He doesn't have to do that." I said embarrassed.

"I doubt he thinks that. He wouldn't be doing it in the first place if he didn't feel like he should. A Malfoy rarely does anything for anyone else. I've never seen it actually." Ginny said.

"He's done more for me than any of you could possibly know." I said with a sigh as I looked up at the ceiling.

The longing I felt to see him came back full force.

"How can I get the best recovery results in the shortest amount of time? I want to get out of here as soon as possible. Someone's waiting for me to visit them." I asked the nurse.

I wanted to see him, to be with him, to hug him until he tells me to let go. His warmth was something I missed the most.

 **XXXXXX**

Five days after his fight with Smith, Draco was sitting in his cell feeling relatively calm and peaceful considering the fact he was a prisoner in Azkaban. Every day he had the chance to vent out his anger and frustration on the newly acquired Death Eaters who were currently inhabitants inside of the prison. It seemed to help calm him. The only thing he felt restless about was getting out of prison, so he could see (Name) again.

"Malfoy, you have visitors." the prison guard said.

He looked over and noticed his parents standing on the other side of the bars.

"Thanks Jack." he said with a nod.

Thanks to his fights with Smith and the other Death Eaters, he was starting to know the prison guards by name.

Narcissa stared at Draco with concern and spoke after Jack walked away.

"Why do you look like you've been fighting?"

A proud smirk appeared on his lips as he thought of his fights with the Death Eaters.

"You don't have to worry, mother. I've just been teaching some people a lesson for the last five days, that's all. They're in far worse condition than I am."

His parents stared at him for a few moments without saying anything. He could tell from his mothers gaze she was closely observing him.

"You seem to be doing well." his mother said as an observation.

"As good as I can be considering the situation." he said with a nod.

They were silent for a few long moments until he decided to speak again.

"Five days ago Potter, Granger, Longbottom, and Weasley came here. They told me about (Name)'s injuries. Potter also said you knew about them. Did you both also help save her?"

It was a question he believed he already knew the answer to but he wanted them to tell him.

His mother and father hesitantly nodded their heads.

"Thank you." he said gratefully.

"...What is (Name) to you?" his mother asked after a few long moments of staring at him.

"What?" he asked in surprise.

That was definitely not a question he expected.

"Smith told us she was a Mudblood." his father said with a look of mild disgust on his face.

Draco couldn't help but feel a hint of annoyance.

It wasn't particularly aimed at his father. His response didn't surprise him. However, that didn't mean he condoned it either. Whenever someone called her that, he was reminded of everything she had been forced to go through during her lifetime because of her heritage. The torture, the hatred, the loneliness, and the sadness... They were all things she managed to face by herself, head on, every day during their school years at Hogwarts and even now. He could feel nothing but respect for her and felt protective of her. As a result, he always took it personally whenever someone insulted her. The insult also reminded him of the word Smith carved into her arm. It only made him want to kick Smiths ass all over again along with the rest of the Death Eaters including Amycus Carrow.

"Muggle-born witch." Draco said to correct him.

They looked at him with perplexed expressions on their faces.

"What?" his father asked taken off guard.

"She's a Muggle-born witch and the brightest, kindest, and bravest woman I have ever known." he said boldly in her defense.

His heart was pounding in his chest. This was the first time he had actually talked to them about her. It was also the first time he had ever spoken out against his father.

"Draco... Do you actually care for this girl?" his father asked hesitantly.

"Yes." he said without hesitation.

They both looked at him in surprise.

"A Mud-?"

"Don't call her that." Draco said boldly with a frown on his face.

He wasn't going to let them insult her even if they were his parents. She deserved better than the constant hatred and ridicule she received because of her heritage.

Draco knew what his parents thought of people like her. They had taught him from a very young age the importance of blood purity. He and his father also became Death Eaters because of their beliefs. However, he eventually came to realize how little he cared about his beliefs. Everything he did during his sixth year was out of fear for him and his family not because he felt he was on the right side. He didn't find any enjoyment in it. He didn't truly believe in Voldemort's cause like his parents did. In the end, he risked everything and let go of his prejudice to save (Name).

In their sixth year, she was the one person who realized there was something wrong. She even showed concern for him in the common room when he felt like the world was closing in around him. He was shown compassion and concern by the very person who should have laughed at him as he wallowed in his misery. She even gave him a chance to tell her what was bothering him after he had made her angry. That became his undoing. She was his first real friend at Hogwarts before he shunned her and he gave her nothing but grief. She had no reason but genuine concern over his wellbeing to ask him if he was alright that night. He was never able to forget about it. The last year at Hogwarts, he watched her daily torture. He observed her as she unknowingly began to break apart piece by piece while hiding all of her pain behind a guarded expression. The moment she broke down in the common room he decided he had to protect and save her. He defected from the side of the Death Eaters that night.

His father was about to say something else but his mother grabbed onto his arm and he stopped as he looked over at her. She was staring at Draco with a questioning gaze.

"You don't... love this girl do you?" she hesitantly asked.

He paused for a moment, hesitant to reply. They weren't going to like his answer but he knew he couldn't change how he felt. And he didn't want to, not now.

The moment he answered he would be forced to go through a scenario that had played out inside of his mind occasionally. He always hated the outcome. There was only one possible way it could end. They would try to pull him and (Name) apart and he would be forced to choose between them or her. If he chose her, they would end up disowning him and he would lose his family forever. If he chose them, he would lose (Name) forever. He didn't want either one to happen but he was also realistic. His parents may care for him but not enough to throw away their beliefs for his sake. His own mother disowned her sister because she married a Muggle-born.

"Yes. I do." he told them honestly.

"You're joking." his father said with a hint of disgust.

"I'm not. How many people do you know who are capable of making a Malfoy speechless? How many people can seem to fill in the void of loneliness a Malfoy feels? If you saw what she was capable of, you'd understand." Draco said boldly.

"I won't allow it! I won't let you stain our blood with her filth!" his father shouted with rage.

"You don't have a choice! My heart already made its decision a long time ago! She is not filth! She's the woman I fell in love with!" Draco said angrily as he stood up.

"No!"

"Lucius." his mother said worriedly as she held his arm.

"You can yell at me all you want but it won't change my opinion! I don't care about our blasted blood purity anymore! I decided that before the end of the war! If you can't handle it, that's your problem! Now that she's finally safe and alive I plan on making my move. No one can stop me, not even you!"

"Don't be foolish Draco!" his father shouted.

"Who's really the fool? The ones who allow their fates to be decided because of their prejudice and almost destroy themselves for those ideals? Or is it the ones who decide to let go of their prejudice and allow themselves to find someone who makes them the happiest they've ever been? Do not make me choose between you two and her. I don't want to be forced to give up my family." he threatened.

They looked at him in disbelief from his threat.

"If this is your reason for visiting me, then leave. I'm not going to change my mind." Draco said as he turned his back to them.

His parents didn't say anything and it was a few long moments before he heard them walk away.

He knew his parents wouldn't approve. That's why he never told them. It was a confrontation he had been trying to prevent for as long as possible. However, he wouldn't take back anything he said now he had been forced to tell them. He meant every word of it. If the consequence of his words was being disowned by his family, then so be it.

 **XXXXXX**

A perturbed expression was on my face while I was lying in my hospital bed. The week it was supposed to take me to recover had now turned into two. I was becoming extremely impatient with my slow recovery. It felt like my mind and body were conspiring against me.

The torture had taken a great toll on me both physically and mentally. I was incredibly thin, a lot weaker than before, and looked a few years older than I was. There were large extremely noticeable scars on my wrists where the shackles dug into them. The word Mudblood was also still noticeable on my inner left forearm but to a lesser extent. It was obvious by looking at me that I had been through some sort of ordeal. I've also felt paranoid and anxious. To top it all off I've had more than a fair share of nightmares as well. As a result, my insomnia came back with a vengeance.

The doctors decided to keep an eye on me after they had realized what was going on. I was forced to stay in the hospital longer than expected because of it. Apparently they were worried about my mental status. I couldn't help but think of it all as an inconvenience. It wasn't like I hadn't been through stuff like this before. All I wanted was to see Draco again, and they were stopping me.

Most of the Death Eaters who were involved with my torture were quickly placed behind bars to await trial while I was in the hospital. The few who weren't captured managed to get away and were in hiding. They wouldn't get far, though, since I knew who every single person was in the group. I was going to make sure they were all thrown into Azkaban.

Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione filled me in on everything that happened after I was kidnapped up until the time I was rescued. Draco was immediately thrown into Azkaban because everyone assumed he had been involved. My scheme, however, worked exactly like I hoped it would. After a while, everyone began questioning certain Ministry member's true loyalties and also began to wonder about Draco's possible innocence. As a result, Harry, Ron, and Neville decided to visit him in Azkaban to get his side of the story. That's when they found out what really happened. While they were there, Draco told them to use the Felix Felicis he took from me during our last year in Hogwarts to find me. They used it along with Draco's parents and were able to find me and the Death Eaters headquarters and rescued me.

"If you keep scowling, it might become permanent." a different nurse said as she walked over to my bed.

She was the one who began to take care of me during this last week.

"The previous nurse told me it would only take a week to recover. It's like you all think I'm a little kid who can't handle a couple of nightmares. I'll have you know I'm a grown woman who can handle herself just fine." I said accusingly.

"Well, you'll be pleased to know the doctor said you're allowed to leave tomorrow."

"Really?" I asked expectantly as I quickly sat up.

"Yes." she said with a hint of amusement on her face.

"Yes!" I shouted excitedly.

"However, if the dreams and insomnia persist, we want you to come back here." she said with a stern expression on her face.

A sigh escaped my lips, and I nodded my head.

It wasn't like I could really argue with her. We both knew I still wasn't a hundred percent after the torture I went through during the last ten months. She also wasn't going to allow me to say no either. If I did, she wouldn't let me out of here. I wasn't going to let anything stop me from leaving. I wanted to see Draco and get him out of Azkaban.

"What time will I be allowed to leave?" I asked as I lied back down.

"You should be able to leave tomorrow right after lunch if the doctor doesn't change his mind."

I nodded my head in satisfaction then Harry, Ron, and Neville walked into the room.

"Perfect timing you guys. Harry, make an appointment with Kingsley and Azkaban for tomorrow. This lovely woman just told me that I'm allowed to leave the hospital tomorrow afternoon." I quickly ordered.

"What?" Ron asked in surprise.

"I want to talk to Kingsley and Draco."

"Is she really going to be released tomorrow?" Neville asked the nurse.

"If the doctor doesn't change his mind, yes." the nurse said with a nod.

"Harry." I said with a pointed look when he just stood there.

"I'll see what I can do." he said with a sigh as he headed for the door.

"Thank you!" I shouted after him.

"There goes our peace and quiet. Now she's going to be telling us what to do and forcing us to do hours of planning again." Ron said with an exasperated sigh.

There was a hint of a smile on his lips while he looked at me. I could tell he was joking.

"You know, Mr. Weasley, I could take that comment offensively." I said with a hint of a smile on my lips as well.

"This is the most agreeable she's been all this week. Don't make her mad again." the nurse said.

"Of course I'm agreeable. I'm finally going to be able to leave tomorrow."

"If you don't mind me asking, who is this Draco you've been itching to see?" she asked with curiosity.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy."

"Draco Malfoy? The one who handed you to-?"

"He didn't." I quickly cut her off to say.

"What?" she asked.

"He didn't hand me over to the Death Eaters."

"Then why is he in prison for?" she asked me challengingly.

A frown appeared on my lips.

"He's in prison because no one would ever give him a chance. They threw him into Azkaban because they had already decided he was guilty."

"Of course! He's a Death Eater!"

I gave her a critical gaze before a sigh escaped my lips.

This was why I had to focus on the trial. I had to find a way to make people see the good inside of Draco. No one wants to give him a chance.

"Draco is probably one of the most misunderstood people I know. There is one thing I can assure you, he's never been capable of being a Death Eater no matter how big of a prick he was. The faded tattoo he has on his inner left forearm was a burden he came to realize he couldn't bear... He's really not so bad once he gets over himself. In fact, he's rather sweet. He's saved me in more ways than any of you realize."

Her eyes widened in surprise along with Ron's and Neville's.

"I've managed to schedule appointments with both Kingsley and Azkaban for tomorrow." Harry said as he walked back into the room.

"Thank you Harry. You're a life saver." I said with a nod.

The sooner I can talk to Kingsley and Draco the better.

After lunch the next day Harry, Ron and Neville arrived to pick me up. According to Neville, the three of them were assigned by Gawain to be my personal bodyguards until all of the Death Eaters were captured and thrown into Azkaban. I apparently had made my fair share of enemies within the group. I couldn't help but feel proud of myself for it. My feelings of dislike towards them were mutual, the bloody bastards.

The doctor quickly gave me one last look over and determined it was in fact alright for me to leave. I was allowed to head to one of the many hospital changing rooms with the clothes I asked Harry to grab from my apartment.

A relieved sigh came from my lips once I was dressed in blue jeans and a long sleeve black turtle neck. They were a little big on me but they accomplished what I wanted them to. My clothes hid the scars and the fact I was too thin. Draco didn't need to see the condition I was in. It would only upset him.

"Alright, let's go. Kingsley's expecting us." I said when I made it to the lobby where Harry, Ron, and Neville were.

I was more than a little eager to leave.

It didn't take us long to reach the Ministry. I felt a little strange being in a large crowd after all this time but in a way it was a relief. The fact I was actually able to be here again meant my life was finally starting to return to normal.

Once we made it to the Minister's floor, we stepped out of the elevators. Kingsley was already waiting for us when we arrived.

"I see they finally let you out." he said with a smile.

"I could have been out a week ago, but they decided, much to my annoyance, to keep me for a little longer." I said with an annoyed expression on my face.

"Well, come in to my office. Harry said you were insisting to talk with me."

"I am." I said with a nod.

We walked into his office, and I took one of the chairs in front of his desk as he sat down in his chair on the other side.

"What is it that you need?" Kingsley asked me.

"I want you to schedule a retrial for Draco no earlier than a week from today and no later than two weeks."

"I don't know if I can."

"I'm sure those bloody wankers can manage it. They were able to throw him inside of Azkaban the very morning following his arrest. There's no doubt in my mind they can have a retrial a week from today. I don't care if they don't like it. They reaped what they bloody sowed as far as I'm concerned. Besides, you're the Minister. What you say goes even if they don't like it." I said stubbornly.

Kingsley nodded his head while looking at me with amusement.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do."

"I also want him to be able to give his testimony and be represented by someone."

"I'm sure that can be arranged."

"The person representing him can't be just anyone. They have to know the laws, and I also have to trust they'll competently defend him. There are far too many people who dislike him and his family for me to trust just anyone. I'm not sure who yet but let me choose who it's going to be."

He nodded his head in agreement.

"That's fine."

"I also plan on having witnesses, lots of witnesses. It's alright if there are spectators too, isn't it? I want as many people to see the trial as possible."

"Yes. They normally allow spectators to watch the proceedings. Bring as many witnesses as you feel you need."

I nodded my head and stood up.

"Thank you. I assume you'll contact me when you know the date and time?"

"I will." he promised.

"Good. Thank you, Kingsley. I appreciate it."

"Is that all?" he asked.

"Yes. I have another appointment for Azkaban in thirty minutes then I have a trial to plan for. It's going to be quite the event." I said with a smirk.

"Oh no. She has that smirk again." I heard Ron say to Neville and Harry.

I looked over at him in amusement as Harry and Ron nodded their heads in agreement.

"And what smirk is that Ron?"

"The smirk that says you're up to something." Harry said.

"I can assure you it's not because I'm up to no good."

"It's still not reassuring." Neville said.

"You three worry too much. Just go along with it. You'd think after the trouble you guys managed to get into at Hogwarts that you'd be use to it."

"Yeah but all of that was our idea. One of your ideas made me create a fake woman named Ronnie Blackwell." Ron pointed out.

"Speaking of that, why did you create a woman named Ronnie Blackwell?" Kingsley asked with curiosity.

"It's nothing." Ron said embarrassed.

"See you at the trial Kingsley." I said with a wave as I walked over to the doors of his office and opened them.

Harry, Ron and Neville followed me out of the Ministry, and we immediately apparated to Azkaban to visit Draco as soon as we walked out of the building.

I paused and stared at the tall triangular stone structure for a moment and had to fight a shudder. The last time I was here all I felt was misery and despair.

"Let's go." I said after a few moments.

We walked into the building but unlike before I wasn't automatically filled with a feeling of misery. It was also brighter since the lights were on. A quiet sigh of relief came from my lips and I felt my shoulders relax as I released tension I didn't even realize I had. It took a little while, but we were eventually led by a prison guard to an elevator and he pushed the button for the second highest floor.

After we had stepped off the elevator Harry, Ron and Neville suddenly stopped walking causing me and the prison guard to also stop.

"What is it?" I asked them in confusion as I turned around to look at them.

"We'll just stay here and keep a distant eye on you." Harry said.

"What?" I asked with a perplexed expression on my face.

"Six is a massive crowd." Neville said.

"What are you-?"

"Just go already, will you?" Ron said as he forced me to turn around and pushed me forward.

"Alright." I said with obvious confusion in my voice.

The prison guard slowly led me down the long hallway, and I suddenly became strangely nervous. It was the first time in ten months I was actually able to see him. I've wished for this moment since the night my torture began. Now I was so close to seeing him, my mind was strangely blank.

He led me to the other end of the long hallway. There I saw Draco sitting in the corner of his small cell with his knees pulled to his chest. He was wearing the same garb I wore while I was here. His grey eyes were glued to the wall in front of him, and he didn't seem to take noticed of us. He was in deep thought about something.

My eyes immediately narrowed in on his face where I noticed he had a split lip as well as a fading black eye. He was also incredibly thin, and his platinum blonde hair was a mess. I was quickly consumed by worry for him.

"Malfoy-" the prison guard began saying until I cut him off.

"Bloody hell, what have you been doing? You're all bruised up, have a split lip, and you look like you haven't been eating properly while you've been here." I blurted out with a concerned expression on my face.

His eyes widened in surprise and he immediately turned his head to look at me. The moment his eyes landed on me he stared at me completely speechless. He had an expression that told me he didn't believe I was actually standing here. A part of him didn't think I was real. He looked vulnerable. That's the kind of look he was giving me.

"Draco..." I said softly.

I walked up to the bars of his cell while he continued to gaze at me. A gentle expression appeared on my face as I put my right arm through the bars and reached my hand out towards him to allow him to touch me. His eyes shifted to my hand and I saw his tears begin to gather in his eyes.

"You can touch me Draco. I'm real." I said to him gently.

He looked back up at my face and suddenly shot to his feet. Instead of grabbing my hand, he took two long strides over to the bars and put his arms through them. He wrapped his arms around me as best as he could and hugged me. A small smile appeared on my lips as I returned the gesture and let the warmth of his embrace surround me.

"Hello Draco." I said softly.

"I thought I lost you, you know. The moment the Death Eaters kidnapped you, I tried to tell the Auror's what happened but no one believed me. I wanted nothing more than to tear the city apart to look for you but I couldn't. They locked me up here, and I couldn't... I couldn't do anything." his voice was unsteady and his body was shaking.

"I know Draco. I'm here now. Everything's fine." I said to him as I soothingly rubbed his upper back with my right hand.

We didn't move for a long while. Neither of us wanted to let go of each other. The metal bars between us were stopping us from getting as close as I wanted to but it still brought me extreme comfort to have his arms around me. He and I were finally together again.

Eventually however he stopped hugging me, and I hesitantly did the same. I looked up at him as he held my left hand gently in both of his hands. He was treating me as if I was made out of glass while he stared down at my hand. It was obvious he was in deep thought. I couldn't help but feel like he looked extremely fragile while standing in front of me.

"What's on your mind?" I asked him.

"I'm sorry. I know you probably don't want me to but I need to see it." he said softly after a few long moments.

"What?" I asked with a perplexed expression on my face.

My eyes widened in surprise when he went to pull up my sleeve. I tried to stop him by attempting to release his hold on my hand, but his grip was too strong especially in my weakened state. When he managed to pull up my sleeve, a frown appeared on my lips. I hesitantly looked up at his face and saw his horrified expression. His eyes were wide while he stared at the scars on my wrist and the word that had been carved into my arm.

He looked into my eyes with a guilt filled expression on his face. I watched as his eyes became misty again and tears gathered in them.

"I'm sorry." he said with regret in his voice.

"Sorry? What are you talking about?"

"I should have protected you better. I shouldn't have allowed them to take you. I should have tried harder to-" he said with a shaky voice.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy!" I said loudly with a hint of anger in my voice.

I also felt a little panic. I didn't want him to blame himself for this.

He looked at me in surprise as I gave him an extremely stern expression.

"You listen to me and listen to me good. How in the hell did you expect to fight against all those Death Eaters on your own?! You would be dead right now if they wouldn't have been out to frame you! You did what you could and fought your hardest to protect me that night! That's all anyone including yourself should expect from you! From what I understand you're the reason why I'm standing here! You're the one who gave Harry, Ron, Neville, Hermione, and your parents the Felix Felicis! I can assure you they wouldn't have been able to find me if you wouldn't have! I'd still be there shackled to a wall being tortured senseless! You saved me bloody wanker!"

He opened his mouth while trying to form some sort of response to refute my claims. In response, I jabbed him hard in the chest with my right pointer finger.

"If you dare say I'm wrong, I'll smack you! You didn't kidnap me! They did! You didn't give me these scars! They did! You didn't torture me! They did! Everything that happened to me during the last ten months was not your fault! They did all of it themselves while you were trapped inside of this blasted cell! Get that through that thick skull of yours! Stop blaming yourself for something you couldn't do anything about! I'm here and alive thanks to your help! That's all that matters! Understand?!"

He was staring at me completely flabbergasted while I continued to gaze at him with a stern expression on my face.

It took him a few moments to recover from his shock as a wide range of emotions flashed on his face. The tears fell from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks while he continued to silently gaze at me. I brought my right hand up to his face and tried to wipe away them away.

"Do you understand?" I asked him again gently.

He let go of my left hand and gently pushed my right hand aside. Suddenly he enveloped me in his warm embrace once again as he wrapped his right arm around the back of my shoulders. I felt him thread his left hand through my hair as he brought his lips down to my forehead and kissed it gently.

"God I've missed you." he said softly with his lips still against my forehead.

I had to fight off my embarrassment from his actions while my heart raced in my chest. I knew I would have been speechless like the night he kissed my cheek if I wasn't focused on getting my point across.

"You're not going to get out of this. Do you understand or do I have to slap you?" I asked him sternly.

He loosened his hold on me in order to look at me while I stared up at him with a stern expression on my face. An extremely gentle expression eventually appeared on his face as a soft smile came to his lips.

"Yes, I understand. I won't blame myself anymore." he said with a nod.

"Good." I said with a satisfied expression on my face.

A comfortable silence fell between us as he tightened his hold on me again. This time I returned his hug and felt my shoulders relax.

"I really did miss you." he admitted.

"I missed you too." I told him honestly.

"How did you survive?"

"I never gave them the information they wanted. I'm sure when you hear what I did you'll be impressed. Salazar Slytherin would have been quite proud." I said with a proud smirk.

"What did you do?" he asked with curiosity in his voice.

"You'll find out during your trial."

My response was enough to make him release his hold on me. He forced me to do the same as he placed his hands firmly on my shoulders and looked at me with confusion.

"My trial? I haven't heard about a retrial."

"That's because it hasn't been officially set up yet. Everyone was waiting for me to leave the hospital first. I was just released from there after lunch today. I've already asked Kingsley to get them to schedule a retrial for you a week from today no later than two. There's no doubt in my mind they can set one up for you in that amount of time."

"Are you sure you'll really be able to convince them I'm innocent?" he asked with a hint of doubt on his face.

"Yes." I said with determination in my eyes.

He looked at me in surprise from my certainty.

"How?"

"Give me one week, and I'll have the perfect testimony and a set of witnesses on my side that no one will be able to question. Kingsley's also assured me you're going to have a fair trial this time. You'll be able to give your own testimony. You'll also have someone to represent you during the trial once I find someone."

"They won't trust a single word I say. You're also going to have trouble finding someone to defend me. No one will defend a person who was a Death Eater in the past. The only thing that can get me out of here might be your testimony unless they find some sort of excuse to not believe you."

"I'll find someone crazy enough to do it. I know I can't allow just anyone to defend you. I have to be able to trust them with your case. If push comes to shove, I'll represent you myself."

"You? Would they even allow you to? I'm sure they've never had the victim represent the accused." he asked in disbelief.

"I'm going to get you out of here no matter what it takes. You're going to be a free man. Forever." I promised.

His eyes widened in surprise from my declaration.

He stared into my eyes like he was searching for something and I made sure not to break eye contact. It was obvious he was looking for doubt within me that matched his own but I didn't have any. I honestly believed I could free him. It was my intention, and I would stop at nothing to do it.

"I'll end up actually believing you if you keep talking like that." he said as his grip on my shoulders tightened a little.

And I knew he wanted to. He wanted to believe me more than anything. He just didn't know if he could.

"You can believe it. I won't have it any other way. It's my turn to promise to free you from your fate. It's my turn to promise to protect and save you. Trust in me. I won't let you down." I said to him earnestly.

He was completely still as he stared at me with a look of wonder on his face. Eventually an extremely gentle expression appeared on his face and he brought both of his hands down to my left one to hold it again.

"You've managed it again." he said with a small smile on his lips while looking down at our hands.

"What are you talking about?" I asked with a perplexed expression on my face.

"You always manage to leave me speechless or fill in the void of loneliness I feel."

I watched him as he lifted my hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it tenderly.

My heart raced inside of my chest and a light blush appeared on my cheeks.

"I have no other choice but to believe in you. You have my trust and always will." he said while looking at me with a gentle expression on his face.

I found myself completely incapable of speech. The only thing I could do was nod my head and even that was hard to manage.

"Sorry to interrupt but your times up." I heard the prison guard say from my right.

My eyes widened, and I looked over at him in surprise. He was looking between Draco and me with interest.

I completely forgot all about him! Did he see all of that?!

I hesitantly nodded my head then looked back over at Draco. He lowered my hand but didn't let go. There was a hint of sadness and longing in his eyes.

"I'll see you when your retrial takes place. Try not to get into anymore trouble. It worries me a little that you look so beaten up and thin." I said.

"I might be able to fatten up a little but I can't promise to not get into fights. Those bastards deserve to get their asses kicked after what they did to you. I'm only teaching them a lesson that they will never forget." he stated with a hint of finality in his voice.

A sigh came from my lips and I shook my head in disbelief. I lifted my right hand and placed the tip of my fingers against his split lower lip.

"Episkey." I said.

It quickly healed, and I repeated the action to his bruised eye.

"All this just to defend me?" I asked with a concerned expression on my face.

"Yes." he said as he nodded.

"You really don't have to. You don't need to get beaten up because of me. I'm not worth all this trouble."

"I don't have to-? Are you mental? Of course I do. Believe it or not you're someone worth defending and fighting for." he said earnestly.

"Pulling out the Malfoy charm are you?" I asked with a blush on my cheeks again.

"No. I'm telling you my honest opinion."

My eyes widened in surprise and my heart skipped a beat. I was speechless again as he stared at me with a serious expression on his face.

"You will always be someone worth fighting for." he said while staring directly into my eyes.

When I opened my mouth to try to say something, I couldn't. His words were something I never expected anyone to say to me. Most of my life I've had nothing but insults thrown at me. I was shunned by everyone and it wasn't until the end of Hogwarts I was actually able to gain the friends I had now. Deep down, because of my experiences, I believed I was somehow inferior to everyone else. To actually have someone tell me I was worth something and that I was somebody...

Tears suddenly gathered in my eyes and quickly began to fall down my cheeks while warmth spread through my chest.

"What? What did I do?" Draco asked in surprise and concern.

"You... You're the first person to tell me that I was worth something." I said with a shaky voice.

He stared at me for a few long moments with a shocked expression on his face that eventually turned into one I couldn't describe. Suddenly, he pulled me into another embrace, and I felt him kiss my forehead tenderly again. I hugged him as best as I could while wishing I could hug him like I wanted to. While I cried, he brushed his left hand through my hair affectionately and didn't say anything. The prison guard didn't say anything either, and I was grateful. I didn't want to leave Draco, especially not right now.

We stayed like that until I could actually calm down then hesitantly let go of each other.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to start crying." I said with a weak laugh.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Draco said softly as he held my left hand again.

We fell into a comfortable silence that lasted until the prison guard spoke.

"Miss?" he asked.

I looked over at him and hesitantly nodded my head then looked back at Draco.

I couldn't help but feel sad I had to leave him. I still wanted to be with him. This was the warmth and happiness I missed during the last ten months. It was something only he could provide. Only he could make me so happy that I would actually cry over it.

"I'll see you later." I said softly.

"See you later." he said while he gazed at me with an extremely gentle expression on his face.

He hesitantly let go of my hand, and we stared at each other for a few long moments until I walked away from his cell.

My resolve to get him out of prison strengthened with each step I took.

I was going to free him no matter what it takes.


	19. Chapter 15: Preparations

**A/N:**

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter! I hope all of you like it! Thank you so much for all the support I've received so far!

Please tell me what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Preparations**

Two days after my visit with Draco, I was sitting on the floor in the living room of my apartment reading. There were piles of books around me of wizarding laws that I was using for research in case I had to defend him during his trial. Harry, Ron, and Neville were all in my living room watching me as I occasionally wrote notes in a notebook. Ron and Harry were sitting on the couch. Neville was sitting in the living room chair. There was a fire crackling in the fireplace to warm up the room.

Over the last couple of days, I've done nothing but work on his trial. When I wasn't reading, I was focusing on my testimony which was only half baked. I knew it had to be a lot better than it was now if I wanted to free Draco from Azkaban. The fact I had insomnia due to nightmares was actually working in my favor. It gave me more time to work on the trial.

"Shouldn't you take a break?" Ron asked with a concerned expression on his face.

"Ron's right. You've been working on this almost two whole days straight." Neville said.

"I don't have time to take a break." I said without looking up from my book.

"What are you reading about anyway?" Harry asked.

"Laws."

"Laws? Why?" Neville asked.

"I might not be able to find someone to defend Draco. If that's the case, I'll have to do it myself. It's better to be prepared than sorry."

"Do you really think they'd let you defend him?" Harry asked incredulously.

"I don't know but right now I'm the only option."

Something began to tap on the window of my apartment and I looked up from my book. An owl was sitting on the ledge outside looking in on us.

I quickly stood up and walked over to the window to open it. The cool winter air from outside began filling the room causing me to shiver as I stared at the owl. There was a letter tied to its leg with the Ministry emblem on the outside of it.

"Ah, you must be here to inform me of a trial date." I said as I untied the letter from its leg.

The owl hooted at me.

"Let me get you a treat for your good work."

I grabbed a treat from one of my kitchen cabinets and walked back over to the window.

"Here you go." I said to the owl as I extended my hand towards it.

The owl happily ate the treat then flew off to go back to wherever it was it came from as I shut the window again. I looked at the letter and sat down on the floor. It didn't take me long to rip it open in order to read what it said.

 _(Name),_

 _I've finally managed to get the Wizengamot to agree to hold a retrial for Draco Malfoy as you requested. It will be held on Friday morning at 9 o'clock in Courtroom Ten. The other suspected Death Eaters will also be at the trial. They're planning to throw all of them in Azkaban in one fell swoop._

 _You have your work cut out for you. It's not going to be easy to convince everyone he's innocent. The Wizengamot have already decided he's guilty and believe a retrial is a waste of time. I had to force them to hold it by using my position as Minister. I've also managed to get them to agree to allow him to provide a testimony, and he's also allowed to have someone defend him. If there are any other developments in the situation, I'll make sure to contact you._

 _I'll see you at the trial,_

 _Kingsley Shacklebolt_

"What does it say?" Harry asked.

"The trial is going to be held this Friday morning at 9 o'clock. That gives me five days to create the perfect plan." I said as I handed the letter over to Harry.

"What are you planning exactly?" Neville asked.

"I'm planning a trial that will change Draco's fate, forever."

They gave me perplexed expressions due to my declaration.

"There are a couple of things I'm planning to get out of this trial. My top goal is to obviously get Draco out of Azkaban but to do that I have to make sure the Wizengamot believe he's innocent. That leads into my second goal. I plan to have the entire wizarding world realize they can give him a chance and trust him."

Their eyes widened as disbelief appeared on their faces but I continued to speak before they could respond.

"The most crucial part of my plan will be my testimony. If I can't manage to convince the Wizengamot, I won't be able to change anyone else's mind either. I also have to gather witnesses to prove my testimony. The only question is how am I going to get the word out to the whole wizarding world that he can be trusted by using this trial? The popularity of it will help tremendously. Obviously many people will want to attend since this is a Death Eater trial. However, I know there's a better way to spread the news other than by word of mouth. No one would be able to relay the message correctly. I'm also hoping to find someone who will be able to competently defend him. If I can, then I would be able to showcase them as someone who has enough faith in him to put their neck out there to defend him. After all, it would look better if he had two people willing to defend him than just one. It would add credibility to my case."

"What? Are you mad? There's no way you could accomplish all that with one trial!" Ron said with an incredulous look on his face.

"Ron's right, (Name). He couldn't even get his job without Felix Felicis. How could you manage to convince the whole wizarding world that he is someone who can be trusted? It will be a miracle if you can get him out of prison. It's obvious the Wizengamot don't trust him." Harry said once he finished reading the letter.

"He had to use liquid luck to get his job?" I asked him in surprise.

"You didn't know?"

"No. He never told me. I thought someone actually decided to give him a chance to work at the Ministry, despite his past." I said with a frown.

"You're the only one who actually trusts him enough to give him a chance." Ron said.

"No, I'm not. You three and Hermione decided to give him a chance as well. That's why I'm even here right now. I do have some hope if it's possible for all of you to trust him enough to give him a chance. After all, all of you didn't like him very much in school and saw the worst of him."

They looked at me in surprise before Neville spoke.

"She does make a good point."

"Maybe but the only reason why we gave him a chance was because of what she said through Smith." Ron pointed out.

"But you still did it. That means what I say during my testimony can make a difference for him. I just have to think of a way to make it so the whole wizarding world knows about it. If everyone finds out what I said, then they'll be sure to give him a chance." I said.

"What are you planning to say?" Neville asked.

"I don't know yet. My testimony is only half baked. I know though I have to convince everyone he's changed. He's not the same boy who joined the Death Eaters. I know that more than anyone after everything he's done for me."

My eyes widened as realization appeared on my face due to my words.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"That's all I have to do! I can save him by telling everyone how he saved me during the battle of Hogwarts and during my last predicament and when he began to change! There's no way anyone could doubt his character or loyalties after they hear my story!" I exclaimed.

I quickly grabbed my notebook and turned it to a new page to write my testimony. The room fell silent as I rapidly wrote in my notebook. I spent the rest of the day and most of the night writing and perfecting it until my body wouldn't allow me to stay awake anymore.

The next morning I was in the living room looking outside of the window with a cup of hot chocolate in my hands. Snow was covering the ground outside as it fell from the sky and blanketed the whole area in white.

Today was the day I planned to go to the Ministry to acquire witnesses for my testimony. I couldn't help but dread it. I wasn't a fan of the cold. I knew though I didn't really have much of a choice. Draco's trial was more important than my dislike of the cold.

"I hate the cold." I muttered under my breath.

"It's not that bad." Ron said from right behind me.

I let out a surprised gasp and almost dropped my cup.

"Bloody hell, Ron, don't surprise me like that!" I shouted at him as I turned around to face him.

"Since when were you so jumpy?" he asked in confusion.

"You just took me off guard." I muttered.

I've tried keeping my symptoms of the torture to myself as much as possible. I didn't want to worry Harry, Ron, and Neville. Luckily, because of the situation, they haven't really given my insomnia much thought. All of them simply believed it was because I was working as hard as I could to make sure Draco's trial went off without a hitch. They weren't completely wrong, but I still wished I could get some sleep without the memory of my torture playing through my mind. When I wake up, most of the time I expect myself to still be in the cellar chained to the wall.

I forced myself to fight the instinct I had to rub my wrists. The pain was still fresh in my mind.

A quiet sigh came from my lips as I brought the cup of hot chocolate to my lips to take a drink. When I finished drinking it, I went to my room and changed into a long sleeve green turtleneck and blue jeans.

"Are we going somewhere?" Neville asked as I walked into the living room.

"We're going to the Ministry. I want to talk to the witnesses I'll need for the trial." I informed them.

 **XXXXXX**

Draco was sitting in his cell feeling completely calm. (Name)'s visit managed to still the raging emotions that had been flowing through him since the day he was thrown inside of Azkaban. She always seemed to have a calming affect on him and seeing her put his mind at ease. It was the physical proof he needed to know she was actually alright with the exception of her scars.

There were a few bruises on his face, knuckles, and various places all over his body from the fights he was still getting into. As he promised, he stopped blaming himself for what happened to her but as he told her he wasn't going to stop getting into fights. Every time he saw the Death Eaters he was reminded of her scars and how much of a toll the situation took on her. She was obviously a lot weaker than before, he barely had to fight her when she tried to pull her arm away. She also looked a little older than she did before more than likely due to the stress she was undoubtedly forced to go through while they tortured her.

"Malfoy." Jack said as he stepped in front of his cell.

Draco half expected to see his parents behind him but he didn't. Jack was the only one on the other side of the bars. His parents seemed to have made their decision. They haven't visited him since the argument. As much as he wanted to say it didn't affect him, he knew deep down that it did. His parents and (Name) were the only people he had after the war. He didn't want to lose any of them.

He looked at Jack with a perplexed expression on his face. Normally he only came to his cell to either let him out for meals or if he had visitors. In this case, he knew it was neither of those.

"What is it Jack?" he asked.

"I've been told to tell you that your retrial date is set for this coming Friday at 9 o'clock in the morning."

He looked at him in surprise for a moment before a proud smirk appeared on his lips.

"She really never ceases to amaze me. She actually was able to get me a retrial. Anyone who said she didn't belong in Slytherin was an idiot."

"Are you talking about that woman who visited you the other day?" Jack asked with curiosity in his voice.

"That's right." Draco said with a nod.

"Who is she?"

"(First Name) (Last Name)."

Jack looked at him in surprise.

"She was the Auror woman who was kidnapped by the Death Eaters and found a couple of weeks ago, right?"

"Yes."

"Weren't you thrown in here because you were caught handing her over to the Death Eaters? Why did she visit you if that's the case? You two seemed to be strangely close for two people who shouldn't be getting along. I thought she was your girlfriend or something." he asked with a perplexed look on his face.

"Do I really need to answer that? I'm sure you're smart enough to read the writing on the wall unless you're like everyone else." Draco said to him with a sigh as he looked over at the wall in front of him.

"...You didn't do it." he stated after a few moments.

Deep down a part of him was surprised Jack was willing to come to that conclusion due to his past. He felt even more hope in (Name)'s words as a result. She was capable of making Potter, Weasley, Longbottom, Granger, and now Jack, believe him by her words and actions. Even Shacklebolt, the Minister of Magic, was willing to give him a chance.

"No. I was framed by the Death Eaters."

"Then what really happened that night?" Jack asked with disbelief in his voice.

Draco looked over at him in surprise and didn't say anything for a few long moments.

Jack was even willing to listen to his side of the story as well?

He found himself opening his mouth and told him what happened.

"Bloody hell." Jack said in disbelief when he finished.

"She told me she was going to create the perfect trial to free me. Forever. I know now, more than ever, she's capable of it. She's already showing me the results of her determination." he said with a small smile on his lips.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is she to you?" Jack asked with curiosity.

"My salvation." he said with a gentle expression on his face.

 **XXXXXX**

The four of us made it inside of the Ministry and headed up to the Auror's Department for our first stop. I led everyone over to Gawain's office and saw him sitting behind his desk as I knocked on the open door. He looked up and a surprised look appeared on his face.

"(Name)? What are you doing here? I've given you time off." he asked.

"I'm here for a couple of reasons. First of all, can I talk to everyone who can testify against Smith? I'm preparing for Draco's retrial and the trial for the Death Eaters."

"Of course." he said with a nod.

I nodded my head and spoke again.

"I also wanted to ask you if you could come to the trial. I want you to be there as a witness to testify against Smith and tell what happened the night I was rescued."

"No. I don't mind."

"Thank you. It's on Friday at 9 o'clock in the morning in Courtroom Ten." I said gratefully.

"Alright." he said with a nod.

Afterwards, I headed back to the main part of the department with Harry, Ron and Neville behind me. I placed my index finger against my neck and silently used the Sonorus Charm.

"Everyone can I have your attention?" I asked.

Everyone in the room looked over in the direction my voice came from and their eyes widened in surprise as they stared at me.

"I want to talk to anyone here who can vouch for Smiths strange behavior during the last ten months. It'll only take a moment."

A few people came up to talk to me as I removed my index finger from my throat.

"What is it (Name)?" Lockhart asked once they were all in front of me.

"I need you all to come to the trial for the Death Eaters this Friday. It's 9 o'clock in the morning inside Courtroom Ten. I need you all there as witnesses to testify against Smith. Can you do that for me?" I asked.

"That depends on Gawain."

"If I get his okay, will you?"

They all nodded their heads in agreement.

"Alright, follow me back to his office." I said.

We walked into his office, and he spoke.

"What is it?"

"They want your permission to come to the trial."

"You can go." he said to them with a nod.

It wasn't long after that we left the Auror's Department and I repeated the action in all of the other departments in the Ministry.

"Bloody hell, how many witnesses are you going to ask to come?" Ron asked in disbelief as we walked into the elevator once again.

"As many as I need. I'm also going to ask the Watchmen for help." I said as I pushed the button for the Minister's floor.

"The what?" he asked in confusion.

"Watchmen?" Harry asked in confusion that matched his.

"They're members of the Ministry who watch and listen to anything going on in the departments. Absolutely nothing happens inside this building that they don't know about. Kingsley created them in order to prevent any corruption from happening again. I've become acquainted with a few of them." I answered.

"I've never heard of them before." Neville said.

"It's supposed to be top-secret information. Gawain gave me information on the inner workings of the Ministry and told me about them."

"...Are you sure they know everything?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Yeah. They have eyes and ears everywhere... Why?" I asked him with a perplexed expression on my face.

"It's nothing." he said sounding embarrassed.

Ron, Neville, and I continued to look at him with confused expressions on our faces until the elevator stopped at the Minister's floor. I decided to ignore it for the time being as we stepped off the elevator and walked over to the person I was looking for.

"Hello Amy." I said to her.

She was a pretty woman with a curvaceous figure. Her long hair was black, and she had green eyes.

"(Name), what do you need?" she asked as she looked at us.

"I need you and your colleagues to come to the Death Eater trial as witnesses. You don't mind do you?"

"No, I don't mind. I'm sure the others will come as well but I'll ask them just to make sure."

"Thank you. I'm sure you already know the details of the trial?" I said to her gratefully.

"Yes. We all do." she said with a nod.

Ron, Neville, and I looked over at Harry in confusion when we noticed him shift uncomfortably as he looked at Amy with a weary expression on his face.

"Is it true that you guys- I mean- Do you guys really know everything that happens here at the Ministry?" Harry asked nervously.

Amy looked at him in amusement and a smirk appeared on her lips.

"Yes Potter. I suggest you keep your little office rendezvous with your fiancée to a minimum."

"What?" Ron, Neville, and I asked at the same time.

A blush appeared on my cheeks and I quickly looked over at Harry whose face was completely red.

"You aren't doing what I think you're doing." I said in disbelief.

He quickly covered my mouth with his left hand.

"Thanks for your help. We'll be going now." Harry said as he quickly began to pull me towards the elevators.

Bloody hell! They are! Perverts!

Ron and Neville were looking at us in confusion as they followed after us. It was after we had made it inside of the elevator I was able to force him to remove his hand. He had a weary expression on his face while he looked at me, and I returned the look.

"Pervert." I said.

Harry's face turned red in response.

"What?" Ron asked in confusion.

"It's nothing." I muttered as I looked at the elevator doors in front of us.

"No, it's not. My little sister's involved in this."

Ron then looked over at Harry and spoke accusingly.

"What have you two been doing in the office that you don't want us to know about? Why is she calling you a pervert?"

Neville let out a gasp. All of us looked over at him as he gazed at Harry in disbelief.

"In the office? Really Harry?" he said as he realized what was going on.

"Let's just drop it!" Harry shouted annoyed and embarrassed.

An awkward silence fell between us as we rode the elevator to the main floor of the Ministry. I was extremely grateful when we were able to get out of the stuffy elevator and outside of the building. That feeling though was quickly replaced by unhappiness due to the cold.

"Damn it. Why does it have to be so cold?" I muttered as I wrapped my arms around my upper body in a lame attempt to warm myself up a little.

"Well, it is December. The weather is to be expected." Neville said.

"Is it really?" I asked him in surprise.

I shouldn't have been so surprised, but the reality of how much time really had passed hit me full force in that moment.

"Yes... I thought you would have realized it by now." Ron said as the three of them looked at me in confusion.

I shook my head and spoke.

"I've been too busy worrying about Draco to think about much of anything except the trial."

I felt my stomach grumble and spoke again.

"Do you guys mind if we go out to eat somewhere for lunch? I'm hungry and not in the mood to cook."

"We could go to The Leaky Cauldron." Neville suggested.

"So you can see Hannah?" I asked with a knowing look on my face.

Neville gave me a sheepish smile.

Hannah was the landlady of The Leaky Cauldron.

"I don't see why not. They don't have bad food. Besides, considering how cold it is I wouldn't mind having some warm soup." I said in agreement.

I looked over at Harry and Ron.

"What about you guys?" I asked.

"That's fine." Harry said.

Ron nodded his head in agreement.

We walked over to the pub, and I was reminded of when I was found by Umbridge the moment we entered it. A sigh escaped my lips as Harry, Ron, and I walked over to one of the many tables and sat down together. Neville decided he wanted to have some time with Hannah and temporarily parted ways with us to be with her. I was already tired from all the walking we did at the Ministry and placed my back against the back of the seat to relax. Ron picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet that was left by a previous customer and began to read it.

"Can you believe this rubbish?" he asked annoyed.

"What rubbish?" I asked him in confusion.

"Rita Skeeter. She's spreading her usual lies. It says you're being manipulated by Malfoy. She claims he's using his money and charm to wrap you around his finger to get him a retrial that would prove to everyone he was innocent."

"What?" I asked as my eyes widened in surprise.

I quickly took the paper from him and stared at it.

There was a picture of Draco and me in front of his cell. He was kissing the back of my left hand with a gentle expression on his face as he gazed at me.

I sputtered out a response as my face turned red.

"W-What?! That is in the Daily Prophet?! That was private! The whole wizarding world didn't need to see that! And he does not have me wrapped around his little finger! The reason why I decided to get him a retrial is because he's innocent! If she was there, she should know that! Bloody tramp!" I shouted in embarrassment and anger.

My outburst caused several people to look in our direction but I was too angry and embarrassed to care.

It pissed me off that she had the gall to spy on us when I visited him. I was also angry about what she said. With one small article, she had managed to discredit me and put the entire trial in jeopardy. Everything was riding on my testimony and if no one believed me the retrial was a completely lost cause!

"Nothing's private if Rita Skeeter's involved. The moment she decides to write an article about you, anything that you do is published in the Daily Prophet for the entire wizarding world to see. It doesn't matter if what she says is a lie everyone soaks it up." Harry said.

I paused for a moment and looked at him with a thoughtful expression on my face. Something he said hit me funny.

"What did you say Harry? Repeat the part about the Daily Prophet."

"I said, "Anything that you do is published in the Daily Prophet for the entire wizarding world to see." Why? What is it?" he asked in confusion.

"I know of a way to get my story out to the entire wizarding world." I said with a smirk as I looked at Ron and Harry.

"How?" Ron asked with a perplexed expression on his face.

I lifted my right hand and pointed towards everyone else in the room.

"Muffliato."

Once I was satisfied that we wouldn't be overheard by anyone I spoke again.

"The Daily Prophet." I said as if it was obvious.

"How are you going to do that now? Rita Skeeter has just made your job a lot harder." Harry said with a frown.

"I'm going to have to completely destroy the bloody bimbo's career. That's how. Nothing she reports or has reported will be believed. We all know it's long over due." I said with a sickly sweet smile and obvious anger in my voice.

Harry and Ron gazed at me nervously. They knew exactly what that smile meant and it was never good. It always meant I had an axe to grind.

The article just added to my list of things to do before the trial on Friday morning. I had to figure out how to discredit her like she had just discredited me. It was the only way anyone would be able to take my testimony seriously now. Normally I wasn't the type of person to do something like this but she had just dug her own grave so to speak. Nothing and no one was going to get in my way of freeing Draco from Azkaban. I also had to tailor my testimony to make people believe my story. Even if I discredit her, the damage had already been done. Everyone would more than likely still think Draco bribed me and used his charm to get himself out of prison. In fact, I already should have thought of the possibility they would think he did. It wasn't like the Malfoy's haven't used their money to their advantage before. I had to find a way to make everyone believe I was trying to free Draco from Azkaban of my own accord as well as prove his innocence.

We remained at the pub and ate lunch together while I silently formed a plan inside of my head. Harry and Ron didn't dare to say anything fearing I would snap at them if they did. It wasn't like I was in the best of moods at the moment. I didn't want anything to distract me from my thoughts.

The moment Neville came up to our table I snapped my fingers to break the charm and spoke.

"Neville, is there a way to contact someone inside of here?" I asked him.

"No but since Diagon Alley is just behind here you could use the Owl Post." he said with a perplexed expression on his face.

I nodded my head and stood up.

"Let's go then. I have a few letters to send."

We walked through the back door of the building, and I pressed down on the bricks of the wall behind it until the wall opened up revealing Diagon Alley. I stopped at Scribbulus Writing Implements to buy a quill and some parchment to write on. It wasn't long before we were all back inside of The Leaky Cauldron and I was writing my letters.

"What is going on exactly?" Neville asked in confusion.

An aggravated sigh came from my lips and I lifted my head to look at them. They immediately tensed up as I raised my right hand and pointed towards everyone else in the pub.

"If you're going to talk about it, I'm going to have to muffle our conversation. Muffliato."

Once I was satisfied the spell worked I nodded my head at them to indicate it was okay before I focused on my letters again.

"I don't know. She hasn't really said anything since she declared she was going to destroy Rita Skeeter's carrier because of the article she wrote for the Daily Prophet." Ron said.

"What?" he asked in disbelief.

"She had that scary smile on her face. You know the one she gets when she plans to get even with someone. We haven't dared to say anything to her since we don't want her to take her anger out on us." Harry said wearily.

"You guys are acting like I can't hear a word you're saying. Be quiet for a little while longer." I said as I continued writing my letters.

They immediately fell silent, and I was able to write my letters in almost complete silence. The Leaky Cauldron wasn't as busy now that it was a little after three o'clock in the afternoon.

The moment I was done with the first one I quickly worked on the second one.

 _Gary Johnson,_

 _I'm sure this comes as an unexpected request but I can't really go into any details right now. Come to The Leaky Cauldron tonight after you've finished work. I can't tell you who I am in case anyone at your office manages to get their hands on this letter. You're the only person I will talk to. There is something I also want to ask of you._

 _Please, take my request seriously. I can assure you that you won't regret it. You might even get a promotion. The only hint I can give to my identity is I helped find your son when he ran away from home a year ago._

 _Thanks_

I quickly pulled out another piece of parchment and wrote my third letter.

 _Kingsley,_

 _Make sure those bloody old bastards don't cancel the retrial for Draco. I found out about Rita Skeeter's little article in the Daily Prophet. To say I'm annoyed is an understatement. I'm already cooking up a plan on how I'm going to handle it, so you don't have to worry about that. I just need you to make sure everything goes according to plan on your end._

 _Thanks,_

 _(First Name) (Last Name)_

I stood up again once I was finished and led them back into Diagon Alley. We walked over to the Owl Post Office, and I gave a letter to three of the most dependable looking owls there. When they flew off, I was finally able to relax a little and then led them back over to The Leaky Cauldron to sit down.

"What are you planning?" Harry asked.

I lifted my right hand and pointed towards the others in the room for the third time today.

"Muffliato." I said.

It wasn't until I was satisfied once again I finally spoke.

"I'm planning to discredit Rita Skeeter of course." I said with a sickly sweet smile again.

"Oh... That smile." Neville said nervously.

"But how?" Ron asked impatiently.

"We already know the trial date and the details. Draco's not going to be the only one tried during it. The other Death Eaters are as well. Obviously someone's going to want to cover it." I said with a smirk.

"Who are you thinking?" Neville asked.

"Gary Johnson." I asked.

"Isn't he the reporter who seems to have the hots for you?" Ron asked.

I gave him an exasperated look.

"He does not. He's married. There's no way he could be interested in me."

"What?" Harry asked as he, Ron, and Neville looked at me with a mixture of disgust, outrage and disbelief.

I gave them all a stern expression and spoke.

"In any case, he owes me a favor after I helped him find his son. This is a trial that anyone who was a true reporter would be itching to have the chance to attend. He won't turn me down. I'm sure of it. At this point the only thing I have to worry about is whether or not he'll meet up with us here after work. I couldn't give him any details in the letter just in case anyone else managed to get their hands on it. All I told him was to meet us here. I'd immediately be spotted if I headed over to the Daily Prophet."

"What if he doesn't show up?" Neville asked.

"I'll try to think of something if it comes to that. Either way I'm going to have to get a hold of him if I want my plan to work."

"Who were the other two letters for?"

"Draco and Kingsley. I just asked Kingsley to make sure that the trial takes place like it's supposed to. As for Draco, it was just a letter of reassurance."

 **XXXXXX**

When dinner time came, Draco walked out of this cell along with everyone else to head to the cafeteria. His footsteps were noticeably lighter compared to the rest of the inmates who were inside the prison. The usual air of confidence he had was back as he walked forward with his back straight and his head held high. He sat down at one of the lunch tables by himself once he had his food and Jack approached him with a frown on his lips.

"You're not going to like what I saw in the papers today. I found out about it after I told you about your retrial." Jack said.

"What is it?" Draco asked with worry in his voice.

As usual he could only think of the worst especially after the last ten months. The only news Jack would think was relevant, would be news about (Name).

The Death Eaters who weren't captured didn't hurt her, did they?

"Rita Skeeter told everyone in the Daily Prophet that you were manipulating (Last Name) by using your money and charm to get a retrial that would prove you're innocent."

He felt relieved that nothing happened to her but the news still wasn't good.

A frown appeared on Draco's lips and he spoke.

"There's no way she would try to get me a retrial if she didn't think I was innocent."

"You don't have to try to convince me. Both of you were genuine enough in your affections the other day that I believe it. It's everyone else that might have trouble not believing what was written."

"It won't matter as long as she can convince the Wizengamot I'm innocent."

"Are you sure she can with an article like that going around? The Wizengamot could decide to stop your retrial with news like this."

Draco couldn't say anything in response. He hated to admit he was right but deep down he knew he was.

"By the way, we received this from the Owl Post about 30 minutes ago. It's for you." Jack said as he extended an envelope out towards him.

A perplexed expression appeared on Draco's face as he took it. Jack looked just as curious about it as he was so he decided to open it instead of waiting.

 _Draco,_

 _Don't worry about what the Daily Prophet said today. I'll make sure you still have your retrial even if those bloody old dung sniffing wanking bastards don't like it. I've sent out a letter to Kingsley to ensure it. All he'll have to do is force them to do as he wants because of his position._

 _I'm already devising a plan to deal with Rita Skeeter as well. By the time your trial comes, that bloody bimbo will be completely discredited. I'm calling in a favor from someone who might be able to do something about her. It will help make my testimony credible again._

 _I can't even tell you how infuriated I am right now. The bloody tramp doesn't know who she's messing with! If I could, I'd hex her and get it over with then she'd really have something to report on! On the other hand, I think ruining her career might be even better, don't you think? It's a permanent way to deal with someone like her. No one in their right mind will hire her again if I get my way._

 _In any case, you don't have to worry. I'll get you out of Azkaban one way or another like I promised. I just thought I'd send you this letter in case you were worrying about it. I haven't found someone to defend you yet but I've been reading up on wizarding laws for your defense just in case it's me. My testimony isn't quite finished yet either but I have a pretty good start on it. Last night I had a sudden stroke of genius and was able to write it up. I just have to add to it and tweak it a little to deal with her accusations in the article._

 _I'll see you during the trial,_

 _(Name)_

"What are you smiling about?" Jack asked.

It was only after that Draco realized he was smiling because of the letter.

"She sent me a letter." he said as he placed it inside of the right pants pocket of his prison garb.

"(Last Name)?"

"Yes. Unsurprisingly she's already devising a plan to do something about the article. She didn't seem to be too happy about it. Rita Skeeter doesn't know the wrath she's managed to awaken in her. I'm glad I'm not on the other end of it this time. She's not easy to handle when she gets like this. She'll stop at nothing to get even with her." he said with a chuckle and a fond look on his face.

"Will she really be able to do something about it? Rita Skeeter is well known for her reporting. Also, what about your trial? Even if she manages to get them to hold a retrial for you, can she really convince them that you're innocent?" Jack asked with doubt in his voice.

"She will. I trust her. I don't have to worry as long as she's on my side."

Draco stood up once he was finished eating dinner and Jack spoke to him.

"Are you planning on causing trouble again today?"

"After what they did to (Name), I don't know how you can even ask me that. Until I'm out of here, I plan on kicking their asses for what they did."

Jack gave him a look of understanding and nodded his head.

"Fine, I'll pretend like I don't know what's going on for a few minutes."

Draco looked at him with a smirk.

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

 **XXXXXX**

Harry, Ron, Neville, and I stayed inside of The Leaky Cauldron for the rest of the day and ate dinner there as we waited for Johnson to appear. Neville didn't seem to mind the turn of events and decided to spend some time with Hannah. Once we finished eating, Ron left just long enough to bring Hermione to the pub after she was done with work.

"Hello Harry and (Name)." she said in greeting as she sat down.

"Hi." Harry said with a smile.

"Hello Hermione." I said with a nod.

"Firewhisky?" Ron asked us as the waiter came by to take our order again.

"No. Not until I've talked to Johnson. You guys can if you want." I said.

Hermione shook her head and declined but ordered some food instead. Harry took him up on his offer and both of them ordered some.

"How are your preparations coming?" Hermione asked once the waiter was gone.

"I'm almost done with my testimony. Unfortunately, I now have to worry about the article in the Daily Prophet. I still haven't had the chance to find anyone who is willing to defend him during the trial either. Kingsley should be able to ensure the trial actually takes place."

"I wouldn't mind defending him if you can't find anyone." she immediately offered.

My eyes widened in surprise as I spoke.

"You?"

Ron and Harry were also looking at her with disbelief on their faces.

"I'm aware of a few wizarding laws and I'm sure I could read up on more for his trial to competently defend him."

A grin appeared on my face as I spoke happily.

"Thank you Hermione. I really appreciate it. I think I will take you up on your offer. You're probably the only person I could trust to do it. I know you won't mess this up for him."

"You're welcome (Name)."

I knew I could trust Hermione to defend him. It was definitely going to be an interesting trial. No one was going to expect to see two Muggle-born witches defending a Malfoy.

"What are you planning for the trial exactly? Ron says you have an elaborate scheme going." she asked.

A smirk appeared on my lips before I lifted my right hand and pointed at the others inside of the pub.

"Muffliato."

Afterwards, I told her about my plan.

"The addition of you will certainly work in his favor. It's something that everyone will least expect. I already have notes of laws I've been looking at that might help with his defense. We can go back to my apartment together, so you can see them and if you want you can also take the books I've borrowed." I said at the end of my explanation.

"You really are going to make a big show of this, aren't you?" she asked with amazement.

"Of course, how else can I do what I want to if I don't? I need as many witnesses as possible. They'll be able to prove my testimony when I go over what happened while I was with the Death Eaters. There will be absolutely no way any of them will be able to avoid life in Azkaban. At this point I just need to worry about perfecting my testimony and getting Johnson on my side. He'll be able to report on the trial and hopefully get Rita Skeeter out of the way for me."

She nodded her head in agreement.

"(Name)?" I heard a familiar voice ask from my right.

My eyes widened in surprise and I quickly looked over at the person. A man in his mid-thirties was standing in front of our table looking at me in surprise with a hint of curiosity in his eyes. He had thick messy dark brown hair and dark blue eyes.

I quickly snapped my fingers and broke the spell as I stood up.

"Hello Johnson. I'm glad you could come." I said with a smile.

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked getting straight to the point.

"Bring up a chair, and I'll tell you about it."

He nodded his head and Neville walked over to the table in order to pull up a chair to sit with us as well. I quickly performed the Muffliato Charm once again. Once everyone was sitting at the table a sigh escaped my lips.

"Alright, so I have a big scoop for you if you're willing to listen." I said to Johnson while staring right into his eyes.

"You know I'm a stickler for a good story."

"How would you like to be present at the trial of the Death Eaters?" I asked.

"What?" he asked me in surprise.

"I know when it's going to be, and will tell you but only if you agree to do something for me. Think of this as a way to repay me for helping you find your son."

"Anything." he said eagerly.

I noticed Ron roll his eyes from the corner of my eye but ignored it.

"I want you to promise to publish my testimony in its entire entirety for everyone to read even if it goes against popular belief. I'll make sure it's a story good enough for the front page."

"I promise." he said as he nodded his head.

That was a little easier than I expected. He doesn't even know what I'm trying to do with it.

"Good. The trial will be held five days from now in Courtroom Ten at 9 o'clock in the morning. That's when you'll get your story."

"What exactly am I supposed to be focusing on?"

"Every word of my testimony. If you have to also have a summary at the end, focus on Draco's innocence."

"What?" he asked flabbergasted.

"I warned you that it was going to go against popular belief especially with Rita Skeeter's last story. The testimony I give will be enough to cover his innocence and hopefully also get the point across that he is someone who can be trusted."

"That's a pretty tall order." he said with a frown.

"Like I said, my testimony will do the talking for you."

"I hope it does. You certainly have your work cut out for you if you want to make people believe he's someone who can be trusted."

"I know. I've been told that by quite a few people already. I was also wondering if you could help me out with something else. It is just as important as the testimony I'm going to give."

"What is it?" he asked me with a questioning gaze.

"You don't like Rita Skeeter right?"

"No. No one at the Daily Prophet does. The only reason why anyone puts up with her is because she's good at her job. Why?"

"All of you work with her. I'm sure, if you really wanted to, you could find some sort of dirt to discredit her completely before the trial. The article you write for the trial wouldn't look so bad after that. Who knows, you might even be able to get a promotion with her out of the way." I said with a smirk.

"I don't know..." he told me with a frown.

"Please? Can't you try? The article about me and Draco was a complete lie." I pleaded with him.

"Was it really? It seems like you're trying to prove he's innocent."

"Despite what everyone else thinks about him and his past, I can assure you that he's been thrown into Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit. I can also assure you that I would not defend him if he wasn't innocent. I've been put through hell during the last ten months and I have the scars to prove it. I'm sure though you don't have to look at them to see it. I look older, don't I? The situation took its toll on me. This has nothing to do with me being wrapped around his little finger or money. If he wasn't innocent, I sure as hell wouldn't try to get him out of Azkaban. I'd leave him to rot in there for the rest of his life." I said seriously.

He searched my eyes for a moment, and I saw the cogs in his head turning. I could tell he was thinking about my request. Eventually, he nodded his head.

"Fine, I'll see if I can. What are you going to do for me in exchange if I'm able to do it?"

I felt myself relax as a quiet sigh escaped my lips. He was finally completely on my side.

"I don't know. I'll leave that up to you."

It didn't take him long to come up with something.

"How about we have dinner together after the trial is over?"

"Alright." I said with a nod.

A smile broke out onto his face while Ron, Harry, Neville, and Hermione looked at me with disbelief.

He looked down at his watch and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Sorry. I have to leave. My wife-" he started saying as he stood up.

"What?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"My wife will wonder where I am if I don't come home soon." he said to me while trying to ignore her.

"Thank you so much for your time, Johnson." I said as I stood up and shook his hand.

"Gary. Call me Gary." he said with a smile.

"Okay, Gary." I said with a nod.

"Gary?" Hermione asked in disbelief once again.

I looked at her with a perplexed expression on my face then gazed back at him.

"See you at the trial." he said with a bright smile.

"See you later." I said with a small smile of my own.

Afterwards, he walked away from the table and towards the front door as I sat down. A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I completely relaxed.

I was extremely satisfied by today's results. My plans were almost complete. I managed to get all the witnesses I needed. Gary was on my side to report on the trial and to get Rita Skeeter out of the way. I also now had Hermione on my side to defend Draco. Kingsley was also the Minister and would be able to stop the Wizengamot from refusing to give Draco a retrial. Now I simply had to wait for everyone to pull through for me.

"Ron, are you still offering to get me some Firewhisky?" I asked with a bright smile.

Suddenly Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione started yelling at me at the same time. My eyes widened in surprise as I stared at them until they finally stopped.

"What is your problem? I can't understand any of you when you try to talk at the same time." I asked with confusion.

"You are daft!" Ron shouted at me.

"What?" I asked him annoyed.

"It's obvious he just asked you out on a date." Harry said.

"He didn't. He couldn't have. He's married, remember?"

"(Name), married people cheat on each other all the time." Neville pointed out.

"This is not a date!" I shouted.

"Draco's not going to like it when he hears about this." Hermione said with a frown as she ignored me.

"What does Draco have to do with anything?" I asked with confusion in my voice.

They looked at me like I was an idiot.

"I don't like those expressions. If you have something to say, then say it." I said with a hint of annoyance.

"It's not our place to say." Hermione said.

I stared at them with a perplexed expression on my face.

"...I'm going to get myself a Firewhisky." I muttered as I stood up and snapped my fingers to break the Muffliato charm.

I walked over to the counter and ordered a Firewhisky from Hannah while thinking about our conversation. She quickly poured one for me and I headed back over to the table. The moment I made it to my seat my mouth fell open in disbelief as I realized what they were insinuating.

"Bloody hell, you guys are all mental! Do you also think he's interested in me?" I asked them in disbelief as a blush appeared on my cheeks and my heart raced inside of my chest.

They didn't say anything in response as they stopped their quiet conversation and stared up at me.

"There's absolutely no way he could be interested in me." I stated as I sat down and placed the mug onto the table.

"Why not?" Neville asked in confusion.

"I'm sure that I don't fit the high standards he probably has."

"Do you know what his standards are?" Harry asked.

"No but I'm sure they don't involve someone like me. His parents would never approve even if he isn't prejudice anymore. I'm a Muggle-born witch. There's also the fact that the Malfoy's are a rich and prestigious family. I'm no where near their status. I'm also definitely not sophisticated enough. You guys know how I normally act. I call people wankers, gits, sods, bastards, dung sniffers, tramps, and the list goes on. I highly doubt an aristocrat speaks like that. Also look at me. I have scars on my wrists, arm, and my right thigh and I look a few years older than I should. I'm not exactly the image of beauty. Everyone can take one look at me and know I've been through hell. He simply cares for me as a friend, nothing more."

They gave me expressions I couldn't describe but I could tell they weren't good. I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted them to tell me why they were looking at me like that either.

Instead of saying anything to them, I quickly began to gulp down my Firewhisky. It wasn't until I was on my third Firewhisky Hermione opened her mouth.

"What do you think of Draco?"

I almost spit out the Firewhisky in my mouth due to her question.

"What? Why?" I asked her once I swallowed.

"I think you know why." she said seriously.

I carefully took another drink from my mug while I stared at her.

"Is now really a good time to ask that? I'm drunk." I said while feeling strangely nervous.

She didn't say anything but gave me a stern expression.

"Some people would say you're trying to take advantage of me when I have my guard down." I stated.

"You and I both know you don't have your guard down or else you would have already told me the answer." she pointed out.

Harry, Ron, and Neville were all silent as they listened to our conversation.

"I suppose that's true." I said with a dry smile.

"(Name)." she said sternly.

I stared at her for a few long moments until a sigh escaped my lips.

"I care for him a great deal." I said honestly.

They were all looking at me like they expected me to say more but I didn't. I didn't really know what else to say other than that.

"Aren't you interested in him?" Hermione said as she pressed further.

My eyes widened in surprise from the question.

"W-What?" I sputtered out embarrassed.

She didn't say anything in response to my question while the four of them stared at me waiting for my answer.

"I... I haven't really thought about it." I muttered.

We were quiet again for a few long moments until I spoke again.

"Why do you ask? It can't be because you guys honestly believe he's interested in me. I already told you how that couldn't be possible."

"You asked us earlier if we also thought he was interested in you. Who else thought so?" she said not bothering to answer my question.

"Hastings, but he's mental. If I recall correctly, he said something crazy like he couldn't allow me to marry a Malfoy. Then he said I would destroy the blood purity of their line and tarnish their name. I can't imagine why he would think anything like that. We aren't even dating let alone engaged. We're just friends." I said embarrassed.

She fell silent after that and I couldn't help but feel grateful about it since I wasn't sure where our conversation would have led. I didn't really know what to think of it. To be honest, I've never really had the chance to think about the way I felt for Draco. I just knew I cared for him a great deal, and that I was willing to do many things for him. I also knew he always made me extremely happy whenever he was around. His warmth was something I had been looking forward to feeling when I saw him again. That didn't mean I was interested in him, did it?

We stayed at The Leaky Cauldron for a little while longer then headed to my apartment. The moment we made it inside, I walked over to my notebook and opened it to show Hermione the laws I had already found for Draco's defense. I also showed her one of the law books I was using to help me research.

"You've certainly done quite a bit of research already. I'm impressed."

"I didn't know if I was going to end up defending him or not."

"I'll definitely be able to use the laws you found and these books to work on his defense. You don't have to worry about it now." she assured me.

"You don't mind visiting Draco for me to tell him you're going to defend him, do you? It might help to put his mind at ease. I don't know how the newspaper article affected him. You could also tell him how the preparations of the trial are going."

"No, I don't mind. I'll have to make an appointment first but I'm sure they'll let me see him."

I nodded and spoke.

"Thanks Hermione. I really appreciate it." I said to her with a grateful smile.

"You're welcome."

We were silent for a moment until she spoke again.

"I think it's time for me to head home. It's getting pretty late." she told us.

"Alright, see you later." Harry said with a nod.

"Bye." Neville said.

"I'll take her home." Ron said.

I ripped out the pages of my notebook with the list of laws and handed them over to her. She also shrunk the laws books and placed them inside of her bag to take them home with her.

"I'll see you later Hermione. If you want to talk to me about the trial, you're always welcome to come here. I'm sure I'll be hanging out here most of the time since I don't really like the cold." I said to her.

"Alright." she said with a nod.

After Ron and Hermione left, I sat down on the floor with a tired expression on my face. I pointed at the fireplace and lit a fire to warm up the room as I slowly began to settle in again. At the same time, Harry and Neville decided to pull out a chess board to play a round of wizard's chess to pass the time. A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I opened my notebook back up. I stared at my testimony and tried to figure out how I could improve it.

I could only think of one thing that could possibly convince everyone he was innocent. Unfortunately, it required me to tell everyone things about myself I never planned on telling. It would put me in an extremely vulnerable position... On the other hand, if I didn't tell them he might be trapped inside of Azkaban for the rest of his life.

I took a deep breath and hesitantly brought my pen up to the paper and began to rewrite my testimony from the very beginning.

I promised that I would free him no matter what it took. If it required this, then even if I didn't like it I would do it. For him.


	20. Chapter 16: The Last Day

**A/N:**

This is a disclaimer. I own nothing except for my characters! All other characters belong to the creator of Harry Potter! Please do not repost this story without my permission.

Here's the next chapter! I hope all of you like it! Thank you so much for all the support I've received so far! Sorry for taking so long to get this one out! The next chapter will be longer than this one. I already have a head start on it.

Please tell me what you think by commenting, adding my story to your favorites, or following my story if you like it!

* * *

 **Chapter 16: The Last Day**

I had an extremely tired expression on my face as I stared at myself in my bathroom mirror. It was obvious by the dark circles under my eyes I wasn't sleeping. An aggravated sigh came from my lips as I turned on the water and washed my face.

There was only one day before Draco's trial and I felt like I was on pins and needles. I hated the fact I didn't know what was going on when it came to Rita Skeeter. I had an extremely strong urge to march over to the Daily Prophet to ask Gary how everything was going but I knew I couldn't. It would put too much attention on him if I suddenly showed up.

A part of me was worried Gary wouldn't be able to actually pull through for me. The only reason why I asked him for help was because he was the only reporter I knew who happened to owe me a favor. That didn't mean I completely trusted him with the task I gave him. He was simply the only person I could ask. As a result, the stress of the situation was making me lose even more sleep at night than normal. The credibility of my entire testimony rode on his success.

Another sigh escaped my lips when I walked out of the bathroom and headed into the living room. Harry, Ron, and Neville were just barely waking up for the day.

"You're already awake?" Neville asked with a hint of concern the moment he noticed me.

I could only give him a weak smile and nod.

"Did you sleep last night?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Do you really want the answer to that?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen to make myself some coffee.

"If you push yourself too hard, you won't be able to make it to the trial tomorrow morning." Ron said with worry in his voice.

"I'll make it. This isn't the first time I've been like this." I said without looking at them.

They didn't know how true that really was.

"Is there something we can do to help?" Neville asked.

I shook my head and spoke.

"I wish there was but unfortunately there isn't. Gary's the only one who can really deal with Rita Skeeter. All of you, especially Harry, would stick out like a sore thumb if you tried to do anything. Even I would due to the last couple of articles about me in the paper. I hate it but all I can do is wait and hope for the best. I just wish I would have told him to keep me updated on the situation. It would make it easier for me to wait for the results. I don't like not knowing what's going on. It makes me feel like I have no control over the situation. If I knew he couldn't do it, I could try coming up with another plan. As things are now, I don't have that option."

"I don't think you have to worry about Johnson. He'll try his hardest to pull through for you after what you said you'd do for him." Ron said with a hint of disgust in his voice at the thought.

A sigh escaped my lips as I turned around to look at them. I went to say something to refute his words then decided against it.

"I know you guys aren't going to listen at this point so I'm not going to bother to convince you other wise. It'll just be a waste of energy." I muttered as I turned my back towards them.

We were silent for a little while as I waited for the coffee. The second I could, I poured a full cup and put three tablespoons of cream inside of it. A quiet sigh came from my lips when I was finally able to pick up the cup to take a drink after it cooled.

"Ron, I forgot to ask Hermione yesterday if she managed to secure an appointment to see Draco before the trial. Did she?" I asked him as I turned around to look at him again.

"Yeah, it's set up for today. She couldn't manage to get one any earlier than that."

I nodded my head as I walked over to my normal spot near the fireplace and sat down on the floor.

"Hopefully, he won't be too shocked by my choice, and they'll be able to get along. He sometimes has a hard time playing nice with others even now." I said with a tired smile as I lit the logs in the fireplace.

"We know. You don't have to tell us that." Harry said.

Another weak smile appeared on my lips. I picked up my notebook again and opened it back up to my testimony. It was almost perfect, but I still wanted to fine tune it until I was completely satisfied even if Rita Skeeter hasn't been dealt with. All I could do was pray that Gary pulled through for me...

 **XXXXXX**

Draco was sitting inside of his cell with visible bruises on his face and hands like so many times before. The letter (Name) wrote was still inside of his pocket and gave him a great amount of reassurance that she had everything handled. If anyone was capable of freeing him, he knew it was her. She never ceased to amaze him with her resourcefulness and ability to accomplish whatever she plans to do. She was the same way during school. He also hadn't heard any news that the retrial had been cancelled due to Rita Skeeter's article which also made him hopeful.

A part of him though still couldn't help but feel nervous. Tomorrow his fate would be decided. He was praying it didn't result in him living in Azkaban for the rest of his life.

"Malfoy, you have a visitor." Jack said as he walked over to his cell.

He expected to see someone behind him, but he was the only person on the other side of the bars.

"Where are they?" he asked in confusion as Jack unlocked the door to his cell.

"They requested to have the meeting in a private room so no one would overhear your conversation." Jack said as he waved him over.

Draco stood up and walked over to Jack who shackled his ankles and wrists together before they headed towards the elevator.

"Do you know who it is?" Draco asked with a hint of expectancy in his voice.

A part of him was hoping it was (Name).

Jack gave him a knowing look and spoke.

"No, it's not (Last Name). She's been here once, but I don't know who it is."

There was only one person Draco knew who fit that description and it only made him feel extremely confused.

Granger? Why would she be here?

It wasn't long before they made it down to the main floor of the building and he was led down a hallway. They stopped in front of one of the many closed doors on the right side of the hallway, and Jack opened the door.

"I'll be just outside the door when you're ready to leave."

Draco nodded his head and walked into the room. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw Granger sitting at the small table at the center of the room.

"It really was you?" he asked with a perplexed look on his face.

She stood up and waited until Jack closed the door behind him to speak.

"Sit down. I have a lot to tell you." she said with a serious expression on her face.

"Has something happened to (Name)?" he asked with a worried expression on his face.

A knowing expression appeared on her face and she spoke.

"No. You don't have to worry about her safety. Harry, Ron, and Neville have been told to protect her until the rest of the Death Eaters involved are captured. They won't let anything happen to her. I'm here to talk to you about your trial tomorrow."

He nodded his head and walked over to the table and sat down at the same time as she did.

"Why would you be here to talk to me about my trial?" he asked in confusion as he relaxed a little.

"(Name) wanted me to tell you that I'm going to be the person who will defend you during tomorrow's trial."

"What? You're joking. She asked you to help me?" he asked in disbelief.

Is she out of her mind? Why would she think Granger would help him? She knows how he treated her in school.

Granger looked at him with a little bit of annoyance and spoke.

"No. I offered, and she immediately agreed to the idea."

"Why would you do that?" he asked suspiciously.

"Believe it or not I decided I wanted to help." she said with a huff.

"Why? You and I don't get along. What's in it for you? You can't be doing it without getting anything in return. You're not taking advantage of her, and the situation, are you?" he asked with a frown.

"You must think I'm pretty heartless if you believe I would ask anything of her after all she's been through. I have nothing to gain by offering to help defend you during the trial. I offered to help because I consider her to be a friend. There is no other reason except for that."

"Is it really as simple as that? You really have no intention of asking for anything in return?" Draco asked in surprise and skepticism.

She gave him a perplexed expression as she nodded her head.

"Yes, it's as simple as that. No, I won't ask her for anything in return... Why do you look so surprised? You're acting as though you've never heard of someone doing something like that before. Isn't (Name) doing the same thing for you right now?"

"Yes, she is." he said bewildered as warmth filled his chest at the thought.

As a matter of fact, she's the first person who has ever done something for him without asking for something in return.

"Wouldn't you also help her without asking for anything in return?"

He nodded his head without hesitation.

"Then you should know how I feel. It's true that I'm not as close to her as Harry, Ron, and Neville but I feel like I should help her out. She's saved the three of them on more than just a few occasions during their cases. I've also heard so many stories about her over the years that I feel like I know her almost as well as they do. You can tell that those four are close enough to be like siblings."

He didn't say anything in response for a few long moments as he silently observed her. There was nothing he could see in her eyes or facial expression that told him she was lying about anything she said. In fact, she didn't even have the same guarded expression she normally did when they spoke to each other.

A small smile appeared on his lips as he spoke.

"It's comforting to know she's finally been able to find friends, real friends, even if it is all of you. She deserves it. As much as I hate to say it, that's the one thing I always envied when it came to you three."

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"You, Potter, and Weasley were and still are real friends. I didn't have any until just before the battle at Hogwarts."

"What about Crabbe and Goyle?"

"They wouldn't have done the things for me that all you have done for each other. They wouldn't have tried to risk their own lives to save mine or to help me out. The moment I fell from grace, Goyle and all of my other friends stopped speaking to me. (Name) was the only one I can say who gave me the companionship that the three of you had. She's the only person I've met who has the capability of making a Malfoy feel like they aren't alone. The one person who I didn't deserve genuine kindness from was the one person who gave it to me and she continues to even now. She's the only one who would try to free me from here." he said as a soft expression appeared on his face.

Granger was silent as she observed him before he spoke again.

"How is she doing? I know what she's like when she's stressed. Is she sleeping properly?"

"No. As you've stated, I think she's extremely stressed about the situation. The trial seems to be the only thing she can think about. She hasn't had a proper nights sleep since she left the hospital and started planning for your trial. There have been a few nights this week that all of us have wondered if she's slept at all. We've tried to tell her to get some rest, but nothing we say seems to do any good. She just ignores us and continues to work on her testimony as if her own life depended on it."

Draco's eyes widened in surprise and warmth filled his chest.

"She's working that hard on the trial?"

"Yes. It shouldn't be that surprising to you. She's putting all of her energy into it for you. A part of me can't help but admire her for all the effort she's put into it. There's absolutely nothing I can think of that she's overlooked."

"Finally met your match, have you?" Draco asked with a smirk as pride flowed through him.

"She certainly is brilliant, I'll give her that." Granger said with a smile.

If someone would have told him he would be getting along with Granger in his future, he would have said they were mad. (Name) always seemed to turn his whole world upside down... She's changed it in more ways than she could possibly imagine.

Granger continued to speak.

"She has an extremely elaborate plan for your trial. I'm sure you know though that she can't do everything all on her own. The reason why you have a retrial is because of her connections with Kingsley. She is able to prove your innocence because of certain key witnesses. She also believes she needs someone else other than herself to competently defend you in order for the Wizengamot and everyone else to believe you can be trusted. Are you willing to trust her judgment in choosing me to help her defend you? I won't let you down if you agree to it. I've already been working on your defense with (Name). Harry, Neville, Ron and I know for certain you're innocent. We wouldn't try to keep you in Azkaban for a crime you never committed even if we never did get along in school. After she told me what she's trying to accomplish with this trial, I decided to help her by defending you for her. I'm sure you know she wouldn't be willing to give my task to simply anyone who offered. She had to feel like she could trust me to do it."

A sigh escaped his lips, and he felt himself relax as he spoke.

"I trust her. If this is what she wants, I won't go against her wishes. She knows what she's doing."

She looked at him in satisfaction and nodded her head.

"I thought you might listen to reason."

He nodded his head before a smirk appeared on his lips.

"Two Muggle-borns defending a Malfoy will definitely turn some heads. The press will soak that up."

A frown appeared on Granger's lips and she spoke.

"That's another thing I wanted to talk to you about."

"What is it? Is she having problems ruining Rita Skeeter's career?" he asked with a questioning gaze.

"I don't think she'll have a problem with that. In fact, I'm almost certain her plan will go off without a hitch even if she's worried about it working. The problem is she's asked a man named Gary Johnson to help with it. The good news is she was able to call in a favor to ask him to report your trial since she helped him find his son."

"What's the bad news?" he asked in confusion.

"The bad news is she also asked him to discredit Rita Skeeter. Johnson said he'd only accept her request if she agreed with his condition."

"What's the condition?" he asked wearily.

"He said that if he actually managed to discredit Rita Skeeter she had to agree to go to dinner with him after the trial was over."

"...Why are you telling me this?" Draco asked with a frown.

He didn't exactly like the news. It meant someone was trying to become his competition.

"Quite frankly I think you're far better for her than he could ever be. He's a cheating, despicable, fowl, no good, evil little cockroach and I don't like the fact she's going to dinner with him." she said with annoyance.

He couldn't help but feel a little surprised by her words. He didn't think she thought that highly of him.

After a few moments, an amused expression appeared on his face because of her insults. At least they were technically on the same page with their dislike of Johnson.

"I think (Name)'s far better at insults than you are."

A weak smile appeared on her lips and Draco spoke again with a serious expression on his face.

"Why do you dislike him so much? I don't mind your approval, but I should be the one who has the greatest amount of dislike towards him. He's trying to hit on her while I'm stuck here behind bars."

"He's a cheating scum that's why! He's married and yet he still wants to go on a date with her!"

"What?! He's married?!" Draco asked in disbelief.

"Yes and she's completely oblivious to the fact he's interested in her! For someone so brilliant she's extremely daft! Even Ron realizes what's going on and he's hopeless when it comes to knowing how others feel!"

He let out an aggravated sigh and frowned as he spoke with extreme annoyance in his voice.

"And what am I supposed to do about it? I'm stuck here in Azkaban. Knowing that sod, if his intentions are to cheat on his wife, he has a lot more planned than just a simple date. I wouldn't put it past him to invite himself over to her place. That's what that kind of person does. Bloody wanker."

He wanted to hex the bloody bastard and keep her as far away from him as possible.

Granger's eyes widened in surprise and a look of disgust appeared on her face as his words sunk in.

"I was so focused on the date that I didn't even make it that far. I'm going to try to make sure you'll be released from prison as soon as possible after the trial. You should be able to interrupt their date long before that happens if everything goes as planned."

"Who says I'll let her go?" he said feeling extremely protective of (Name).

"She needs to be able to go through her side of the bargain first. If she doesn't, he'll be able to ask her to go at a different time. At least in this situation you can pretend that you didn't know what was going on, and he won't be able to ask her on another date."

"In other words you want to kill two birds with one stone?"

"That's right."

He didn't say anything for a few long moments.

"Fine. I don't like it but I suppose I don't have any other choice." he said grudgingly.

"She also wanted me to tell you that the preparations for the trial are going as planned. All we're waiting for is Johnson to discredit Rita Skeeter. (Name)'s still making small tweaks to her testimony, but she says it will be finished by your trial."

A small smile appeared on his lips.

"She's probably being a perfectionist. It's one of the things I noticed about her while we were in Hogwarts."

"I also wanted to warn you that you're going to have problems with her."

"Problems?" he asked in confusion.

"She's under the assumption that you would never be interested in her."

He looked at her in surprise for a moment then spoke with disbelief in his voice.

"Why would she think that?"

"There are several reasons actually." she said with a frown.

"What are they?" he asked seriously.

How could she possibly believe he would never be interested in her? It wasn't like he hasn't shown her affection on more than one occasion. Everyone else seems to think it's rather obvious he fancies her.

"She believes your parents would never approve of her because of her blood status."

He instantly frowned at her words.

Why would she think his parents' prejudices had anything to do with what he thought of her?

"I'm not going to say that's not the case. I'd be lying if I said otherwise and you know it. My father became a Death Eater for his beliefs and my mother disowned her own sister after she married a Muggle-born. My family prides itself for its blood purity. It's something my parents still care about. I'm not so inclined to think as they do. I haven't cared about blood purity since right before the battle at Hogwarts. My parents' prejudice has nothing to do with what I think. (Name) should know that."

"She does know that. This isn't a question about whether or not your prejudice. The problem is she believes that you would never have feelings for her since you know that nothing can come from it. Your parents would never allow it."

A sigh escaped his lips, and he spoke boldly.

"A Malfoy always gets what a Malfoy wants especially when they're determined enough to get it. I've already come to terms with the fact I'll never get their approval for this. In fact, they've already told me their opinion on the subject. They also know mine. Quite frankly I don't care if they approve or not. It's impossible for me to not care for her and if they can't handle it that's their problem. I'm not going to let them, or their prejudices get between (Name) and me. I'd rather be disowned than to be separated from her."

"You told them that?" Granger said with wide eyes.

He nodded his head then spoke seriously.

"What are her other reasons?"

"She also said you wouldn't be interested in her since she doesn't come from a rich and prestigious family. She believes she's no where near your status."

He couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed by her words.

"What? I'm trying to decide if I should be insulted. She must really think I'm stuck up if she thinks something like that will stop me. I admit that I did use to make fun of Weasley for being poor, but during the last school year I realized it didn't matter. My aristocratic status and beliefs in blood purity didn't matter... I don't care if she isn't an aristocrat or rich. She's done more for me than most would even try to or even could. It's only around her I feel the happiest I've ever been. Money can't buy what she can give and she's only selling herself short if she feels like she doesn't have much to offer."

Granger looked at him for a few moments as if she was seeing him in a completely new light then finally spoke.

"She also claims she's not sophisticated enough to fit in with an aristocratic family like yours. She doesn't seem to think the way she acts or her insults are something you would witness in your social circles."

An amused expression appeared on his face as he smiled.

"I'll admit that there's definitely no one like her in our social circles. Personally, I wouldn't change her for the world. I can't help but find her temper and insults rather endearing. At the very least, she certainly makes things interesting. She wouldn't be who she was if she didn't act the way she does and I wouldn't have fallen for her. I can only imagine taking her to parties. No one would know how to handle her, especially if they annoyed her. There are quite a few people I know who would. It would be nice to see them kicked off their high horses. She'd be the only one who has the guts to say what everyone else was silently thinking. They're too busy trying to keep appearances and forcing themselves to get along with each other."

"Just like she always would with you?" Granger asked with an amused expression on her face.

"Just like she always does with me. No one else would dare to tell a Malfoy off especially in the way she does. I've received many bruises, punches, slaps, hexes and jinxes thanks to her. You're the only other person who's slapped me... Is it a Muggle thing to be so violent?"

Granger let out a laugh in response then spoke.

"You just had a certain way of getting underneath our skin."

"I'll admit to that... She doesn't have any other reasons, does she?"

A frown appeared on Granger's lips again as she spoke.

"She also doesn't think she's beautiful enough."

"What? Why would she think that?" he asked with an incredulous look on his face.

"It's because of her scars and the fact she looks a few years older than she should. She claims it's obvious just by looking at her that she's been through some sort of ordeal."

A frown appeared on his lips.

"She must think I'm pretty shallow. First off, she isn't all that bad looking. She never has been. It doesn't bother me she looks older. What bothers me is what caused it. Second of all, I don't care if she has scars. I didn't fall for her because of her unscarred skin. I fell for her because of who she is. She's the kindest, bravest, and smartest woman I've ever known among many other things."

A smile appeared on her lips.

"You don't have to convince me. Harry, Neville, Ron, and I can already tell how you feel. It's her you have to tell otherwise. She seems to have some low self-esteem issues. It might be hard for her to believe anything you say at first just like she doesn't believe Johnson could be interested in her."

He nodded his head in response.

He knew that her words were true. (Name) did have low self-esteem issues. It was just hard to tell due to the way she acted unless you had the opportunity to get close to her.

"Thanks for the warning but why are you trying to help me with her?"

"We might not have been able to get along in Hogwarts, but I've heard about the way you treat her from the others. I've also seen first hand how much you care. They also said they'd never seen her as happy as she was when she was with you before the Death Eaters took her. All of us can also tell she cares for you a great deal. If it's going to make her happy, then none of us have a problem with you and her being together. There is something else though I want to warn you about."

"What is it?"

"She doesn't know if she's interested in you."

He didn't have a chance to ask her how she knew that since she spoke before he could.

"I've thought about it and the reason might simply be because of her low self-esteem. She might not want to realize it in order to protect herself against disappointment. The other reason could be she really hasn't thought about it. That's what she told me when I asked her if she was interested in you. Maybe she hasn't had a chance to think about it. You two were only together again for about two weeks before the Death Eaters took her away. She also hasn't had a chance to think about anything else except the trial since she was rescued either."

"Do you think I have a chance?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes, I do. She seemed nervous when I asked her what she thought about you. She even tried to avoid the question by saying she wasn't competent enough to answer since she was drunk."

"She was drunk when you had this conversation?" Draco asked in disbelief.

"For someone who was completely intoxicated she seemed to still be sober enough to have her guard up. I couldn't get a straight answer from her. In fact, she never actually answered the question I was asking and she knew it. She just told me that she cares for you a great deal but didn't elaborate. It's obvious I know she cares. Anyone can tell she does. No one would work so hard to free you from Azkaban if they didn't."

Granger had a frustrated look on her face while Draco stayed silent and hung onto her every word.

"Since I knew beating around the bush wasn't going to work I asked her if she was interested in you. She became embarrassed and it took her a few moments to answer my question. That was when she told me she hadn't thought about her feelings towards you… I can't say for certain that she returns your feelings but I think you have a good chance. She did become nervous and she was extremely embarrassed whenever anyone mentioned the possibility of you being interested in her. Her reaction was completely different when we suggested the same thing for Johnson. She was just annoyed."

Draco stared at her with a surprised expression on his face as his heart raced inside of his chest. He couldn't help but feel a little hopeful that the girl he cared for also returned his feelings.

"I see... Thanks for the heads up."

"Of course. Now, let's talk about your trial."

 **XXXXXX**

I was waiting impatiently in the living room for Ron and Hermione when they finally arrived at my apartment. The moment Neville answered the door I stood up and walked over to Hermione to pull her into the living room.

"How did your meeting with Draco go? He wasn't too surprised, was he? You two didn't fight too much did you? I know how much you two didn't like each other in Hogwarts. Is he alright with it?" I asked with a concerned expression on my face.

"It went fine. In fact, it went more than fine. He and I had a rather pleasant conversation, and he's agreed to accept my help." Hermione said with a smile.

A relieved sigh escaped my lips, and I sat down on the floor as she sat down on my living room chair.

"What? You and him actually got along?" Ron asked in disbelief as he gave her an incredulous look.

I gazed over at him with an amused expression on my face as Harry and Neville gave her a similar look.

"Yes. He's surprisingly easy to talk to when he wants to be." she said with a nod.

"I'm glad. I was a little worried about how he would take the news." I said as I looked back over at her.

"It did take a little convincing but he eventually decided to trust that you knew what you were doing."

I watched her as she pulled out a vial and an envelope from her suit jacket.

"Here, he wanted you to have these." Hermione said as she extended them out towards me.

"What?" I asked with a perplexed expression on my face as I grabbed them.

The label on the outside of the vial clearly stated it was sleeping draught.

Why would Draco want me to have this?

I looked over the envelope as well and saw it had my name on the outside of it in Draco's handwriting. A wave of excitement rushed through me as I quickly ripped open the letter as fast as I could to read it.

 _(Name),_

 _I'm sure you know by now that Granger visited me today in Azkaban. I have to admit that when I first found out she was the person you chose to defend me during my trial I thought you had lost your mind. I was shocked and a little skeptical especially when she told me she offered to help. Now though I believe you've made a good choice. It's reassuring to know two of the brightest people I've ever encountered are both on my side. Don't tell Granger I said that though, it might go to her head._

 _While she was here, Granger told me how hard you've been working on the trial. I want to thank you. Thank you for working so hard to free me from here. You really are amazing. You're the only one who would ever do something like this for me. It means a lot to know you care so much._

 _Tonight I want you to get some sleep. I don't want all of your hard work to go to waste because you're too exhausted to be on the top of your game tomorrow. Granger said that you haven't had a proper nights sleep since you left the hospital. I've asked her to buy you some sleeping draught to last you through the night. I'm sure she's given it to you with this letter. I know you'll need it. Almost nothing seems to help you go to sleep when you're stressed like this. I should know. You and I have spent many nights together in the Slytherin common room whenever you couldn't sleep._

 _You certainly know what you're doing. It's a miracle that the Wizengamot are giving me a fair trial with representation. It's even more amazing I'm actually allowed to speak in my defense. Even Granger admitted to me that the plan you've created is impressive. She can't find any flaws in it, and that is certainly saying something coming from her. You really are frighteningly brilliant especially out here in the real world. I'm lucky you're on my side instead of against me._

 _What I'm trying to tell you is that I know you're worried but you don't need to be. I have complete faith in you. If anyone can free me from Azkaban, it's you. You're a Slytherin through and through. Only a Slytherin would be able to do everything that you have managed. You have determination, cleverness, cunning, resourcefulness, ambition, and a strong sense of fraternity. I know I'm in good hands with you on my side. You're the person I trust and believe in the most. By tomorrow I'll be a free man, forever, just like you promised. I truly believe that._

 _Granger also told me about your dinner date with Johnson. I want you to be wary of him. Do not let him into your apartment or go to his home. He's the type of guy who's up to no good. I'm sure he's planning something extra for after. Please, do not disregard my warning. I know your opinion on the subject, Granger told me, but I'm also certain it's a date. Married men do not ask women to have dinner_ _alone_ _with them if they don't have any intention of cheating on their wives. He'd be home with her during dinner instead. I know I would be if I was married just like my father always is. You may believe he's not interested in you but I can assure you I know what I'm talking about. You're more attractive than you give yourself credit for. I know of a couple of guys who have their eyes on you. There is absolutely no way he would be sticking his neck out just for the chance to go to dinner with you if he wasn't one of them. What he's doing is practically suicide if he gets caught. That's why all of us know he's going to succeed. You've given him all the motivation he needs._

 _There are other things I could and want to say but I'll end it here. I've told you everything that I need to for now. I'll see you tomorrow and make sure you take the sleeping draught. You need your rest. I can't have you half delirious or hysterical by the time the trial takes place. Besides, you'll ruin your good looks if you continue worrying so much._

 _Thank you for everything,_

 _Draco_

I had a blush on my cheeks by the end of the letter as my heart raced inside of my chest.

He thinks I'm attractive?

"What did he say?" Hermione asked.

"You talk too much." I muttered embarrassed.

"What?" she asked with a perplexed expression on her face.

I handed her the letter and closely observed her as her eyes moved along the words on the page. Once she was done, she had a satisfied expression on her face.

"It's nice to know he thinks I'm so brilliant." she commented.

"What? Let me see that." Ron said in disbelief as he snatched the letter from her.

"What did you tell him while you were there exactly?" I asked her.

"I'll let him tell you when you two have a chance to talk to each other again. In the mean time, you should go to bed. It's already 9 o'clock and Draco asked me to make sure you're in bed early tonight."

"...You didn't have to tell him I wasn't sleeping properly. I don't want him to worry about me while he's in Azkaban. He's done that more than enough already. Besides, he already has enough on his plate due to his trial." I said softly.

"Nothing can prevent that. Almost the first words that came out of his mouth today were to ask me if you were alright. He seemed to be worried that something happened to you when he saw I was there."

"What?" I asked as warmth filled my chest.

"I made sure to tell him that you were being protected by Harry, Ron, and Neville so he didn't have to worry about your safety."

I nodded my head then stood up.

"Since he seems to be so worried about my sleeping habits, I guess I'm going to go to bed then. As he told me, I have to make sure to be on the top of my game tomorrow so I can free him. All I can do is hope that all of you are right about Gary pulling through for me."

"He will." Neville said with certainty.

"Goodnight." I told everyone as I headed towards my bedroom.

"Goodnight." they all said in response.

I stopped in the doorway of the hallway as something occurred to me and I looked back at them.

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you Hermione that you're welcome to stay here as long as you want."

"Thanks." she said in response.

Afterwards, I headed into my room to get ready for bed.

I couldn't stop myself from thinking about the letter Draco wrote. It was a letter full of nothing but concern, gratitude and warmth. The thought that he found me attractive caused my heart to race inside of my chest again. If he wouldn't have actually told me, I would never believe it. I felt strangely happy and yet also embarrassed by the compliment.

My mind went to the conversation I had with Hermione in the pub the other day before I could stop it. The second I thought about her, Neville, Ron, and Harry thinking Draco could be interested in me I quickly shook my head to rid myself of the thought.

There's no way he could possibly be interested in me.

 _"Aren't you interested in him?"_ Hermione's voice asked inside of my mind.

A blush immediately appeared on my cheeks as butterflies filled my stomach.

"I'm tired." I muttered.

I knew that didn't answer the question, but I forced it to the back of my mind as best as I could.

I walked into my bedroom and climbed inside of my bed. I grabbed the vial of sleeping draught off the small table next to the bed and stared at it for a moment. A part of me was tempted to look over my testimony one more time but I fought against the urge. Draco wanted me to go to sleep early since he was worried about me and I didn't want to go against his simple request.

A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I opened the vial. I took enough of the draught to last me until morning then placed the vial on the table and lied down. Once my head touched the pillow, I closed my eyes.

"Draco, I'll free you from Azkaban no matter what it takes. I promise." I said softly.

It didn't take the potion long to go through my system and I immediately fell asleep while thinking of Draco and the trial that would decide his fate...


	21. Chapter 17: The Trial (Part I)

**A/N:**

Hello everyone! IT'S FINALLY HERE! Sorry for the long wait! I've been extremely busy. I've decided to split the trial into 2 chapters instead of one. It seemed like it was getting a little too long.

I want to assure all of you that I won't stop writing this story until it's over. I've read my own fair share of stories where I wished an author would finish and yet years later they haven't for various reasons so I know what it feels like. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! If you like it, give follow it and add it to your favorites. Also, if you want to, comment! I really like reading what all of you think of my story.

I do want to say thank you to everyone who has decided to stick with me and this story despite the long wait. Thank you for all of the support so far!

I also want to say that I update my profile periodically in order to update my readers on what's happening with my stories. If you're wondering what's going on, please check it out.

* * *

 **Chapter 17: The Trial (Part I)**

I opened my eyes and stared up at the ceiling of my semi dark bedroom for a few moments to take in my surroundings. In order to make sure I was really inside of my room, I pinched my right arm causing me to flinch as pain shot through the area. A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I rolled onto my side and turned on the lamp next to my bed. The clock on the small table said it was 7 o'clock in the morning.

"It's morning," I said to myself.

The sleeping draught Draco asked me to take had done its job. For the first time since I was rescued, I was able to sleep all night long without nightmares of my daily torture. In fact, I didn't have any dreams thanks to the potion. It was designed to put you into a dreamless sleep, and I was extremely grateful for that. If I would have been forced to dream all night long, it would have been its own form of torture. At least when I was awake, I could force the memories to the back of my mind.

I was grateful that Draco asked me to take the potion. I felt well rested for the first time since I woke up inside of the hospital. I knew I was going to need to be at the top of my game today.

The situation still made me feel extremely nervous even with Draco's assurance that everything would work out. I hated the fact I still couldn't guarantee a good verdict for him. I promised him I would get him out of Azkaban and wanted him to be free more than anything else. However, as long as Rita Skeeter hasn't been dealt with, I didn't know if my plan would work. My testimony wouldn't be able to free him if no one actually believed it.

How could I get everyone to believe it if Gary didn't pull through for me? I could prove most of my testimony but there were key parts of it that I had to rely on the Wizengamot to decide to believe me.

A frustrated sigh came from my lips as I buried my face into my pillow.

Today was going to be stressful...

Eventually, I forced myself out of my warm and comfortable bed and decided to get ready for the long day ahead of me. Once I finished, I stood in front of the mirror in my room to stare at my reflection.

The outfit I had chosen was a short sleeve purple buttoned up silk dress shirt, a black flowing skirt that went down to just above my knees and black flats.

A sigh escaped my lips.

All I wanted to do was to change into something else, but I knew I couldn't because of the trial. Everyone was obviously going to want to see what happened to me. It wouldn't be too hard to see I had been through hell. I was still too thin to be considered healthy and my arms, face, and legs showed it. To be honest, I was skin and bones. Luckily, my loose fitting clothes helped to conceal just how thin I really was.

The sight of the scars on my wrists and arm were always enough to make me grimace. All I wanted to do was cover up them up so I wouldn't have to look at them or let anyone see them. They were a painful reminder of what I had gone through and what many people thought of me in the wizarding world. It made me feel extremely vulnerable to know anyone could simply look at me and know what I was. I couldn't even try to blend in with the word Mudblood carved onto my arm.

A knock came from my bedroom door and I looked over at it nervously.

"(Name), are you awake?" Harry asked on the other side.

"Yes. I'm awake. I'll be out in just a minute," I told him.

"Okay."

My eyes went back over to the mirror and I frowned at my reflection.

"This is it," I said to myself.

I walked over to my closet and pulled out my long black coat that reached down to the middle of my shins and put it on. It would be enough to temporarily cover everything up until the trial.

Another quiet sigh escaped my lips as I walked out of my room and down the small hallway until I made it into the living room. Harry, Ron, and Neville were all awake and quietly talking amongst each other. The moment they noticed me they stopped and looked at me.

"Morning," Neville said with a smile.

"Morning," I replied back with a stiff nod.

I was about to head into the kitchen when something tapped on the living room window. When all of us looked over at it, we saw an owl on the window ledge peering in at us with a rolled up newspaper hanging from its beak. I bit my lip nervously and walked over to the window to open it. Cold air filled the small living room as I placed a few galleons into the pouch around its neck as payment and took the newspaper out of its beak.

"Thanks," I said to it softly.

Ever since I asked Gary for help, I've been purchasing copies of the Daily Prophet in hopes to see any news about Rita Skeeter.

I watched the owl fly away then quickly shut the window to prevent any more cold air from coming into the apartment. Afterwards, I looked down at the newspaper in nervousness and anticipation.

Please let Gary pull through for me!

A smirk broke out onto my lips when I unrolled the newspaper and caught sight of the article I was looking for on the front page of the Daily Prophet.

 ** _Rita Skeeter The Liar!_**

 _Rita Skeeter was a respected reporter who worked_

 _for the Daily Prophet. She was believed to be able_

 _to report some of the juiciest stories in the paper._

 _As it turns out, those stories were all lies! Most of_

 _her co-workers have finally spoken out against her_

 _along with a few of her victims who were brave_

 _enough to do it! She has repeatedly destroyed the_

 _lives of many people who have done nothing wrong_

 _by reporting lies! She's even threatened to destroy the_

 _lives of the people she's interviewing to ensure they_

 _didn't tell the real story. She had the ability of twisting_

 _everything people would say and turning it into_

 _something she thought was fit for the paper. As a_

 _result, she was finally fired this morning in order to_

 _improve the integrity of the Daily Prophet._

 _(More information on page 12)_

"Well, what do you know? Gary really did manage to pull through for me just like you all said he would," I said with relief in my voice.

I also noticed there was an announcement of the trial for the Death Eaters right below the first article.

 ** _Death Eater Trial Today!_**

 _Today inside of the Ministry in Courtroom Ten,_

 _a trial for all of the Death Eaters who were recently_

 _captured will be held at 9 o'clock in the morning._

 _Anyone is invited to come as a spectator to witness_

 _the colossal event! The victim of the trial, (First Name)_

 _(Last Name), was also a victim of Rita Skeeter's lies._

 _It will allow us to find out the real reason why she_

 _decided to fight for a retrial for Draco Malfoy. Everyone_

 _will also finally find out what she was forced to go_

 _through during the ten months she was missing._

A grin appeared on my lips as I turned around and walked over to the others and handed Ron the newspaper.

Everything was finally coming together.

"I'm going to make breakfast," I said to them as they read it.

There was a skip in my step as I headed over to the kitchen to prepare breakfast and coffee for all of us.

The bloody bimbo finally had what was coming to her.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side," Ron said while looking at me warily.

"I highly doubt you'll piss me off enough that I would try to destroy your career, Ron. All I could ever do to you is hex or curse you. Maybe slap you too if you really make me annoyed," I said as I looked at him from over my shoulder in amusement.

"We've seen how that goes. It's a miracle Malfoy's in one piece," Neville said with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

A laugh escaped my lips as I shook my head and looked at the food cooking in the pan.

It wasn't much longer before I had all the food and coffee on the kitchen table and the three men walked over to sit down. A smile was still on my lips as I sat down and began to eat.

"You do realize you have to go to dinner with Johnson now, right?" Harry asked with a frown.

I looked at him carefully as the smile faded from my lips then nodded my head.

"Yes, I owe it to him now since he managed to do as I asked. It's what he wants."

"What about Malfoy's warning? Are you going to take it seriously?"

An exasperated sigh escaped my lips, and I nodded my head.

"I'll heed his warning and yours since all of you seem to be so worried about it. It's not like I'll be putting my guard down too much anyway. I'm not the type of person who can open up to others without treading lightly in the beginning. It's hard for me to trust people. I still think though that all of you are blowing this situation completely out of proportion."

"Even with Malfoy's reasons?"

My mind instantly went to the letter Draco wrote and a blush appeared on my cheeks.

"Give it to me so I can read it again. I think I was delirious by the time Hermione gave it to me," I muttered.

Neville stood up and walked over to the open envelope on the small table next to the couch. He handed it to me after he had sat back down at the kitchen table and I silently read it again. By the end of it, the blush on my cheeks had darkened.

It looks like I read it properly after all...

"W-We don't have time to be talking about this. Draco's trial is today and I don't want to be late," I said quickly as I set the letter down loudly onto the table.

Harry, Ron, and Neville all exchanged a look, and I decided to ignore them as I continued to eat my breakfast.

We didn't say much as we finished preparing for the long day ahead of us. When it was finally time to leave, anxiety began to bubble up inside of me as we stepped out of my apartment. I couldn't help but feel nervous about the trial. I was nervous about what I was going to talk about in my testimony.

A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I locked the door.

"You seem tense. Are you alright?" Neville asked in concern as we walked down one of the hallways of my apartment building.

"I'm just nervous about the trial and my testimony," I said with a weak smile.

"What's there to be nervous about? You've been working on your testimony endlessly since you visited Malfoy in prison and have managed to discredit Rita Skeeter. I would have thought his letter would have been enough to calm you down," Ron said in confusion.

"I won't be able to rest easy until he's out of Azkaban. There's still a possibility that the Wizengamot won't let him free," I said softly.

Ron wrapped his left arm around the back of my shoulders then spoke encouragingly.

"You'll be able to get him out. You always seem to pull through when you need to the most."

"Thanks Ron, I appreciate it," I said to him with a grateful smile.

 **XXXXXX**

Draco was standing inside of his cell eagerly waiting for someone to come to take him to the ministry. His nose was broken, he had a left black eye, his bottom lip was split open and he had more than just a few bruises all over him.

"Bloody hell man, you look even worse today than last night," Jack said in disbelief as he stepped in front of his cell and stared at him.

Draco just gave him a cheeky grin in response before he flinched as pain coursed through his left cheek because of the bruise.

"I don't mind. It's all for a good cause."

After his talk with Granger yesterday, he decided to give all of the Death Eaters who had hurt (Name) a farewell present during dinner. Man or woman, it didn't matter, they received at least one punch from him. He knew it was his last chance to do anything to them, so he put his all into it. It resulted in him getting quite the beating, but he didn't care.

Jack shook his head as he looked at him in amusement.

"For (Last Name)?"

"For (Name)," Draco said with a nod.

"She's not going to like it when she sees you during your trial, you know. I remember how she reacted the first time she came here," Jack said.

"What I did is completely justified," Draco said without hesitation. "If you would have heard what Granger told me yesterday about her, I think you would have done the same. I'm not entirely blameless for what she thinks about herself but I'm sure the last ten months haven't improved the situation. It made me want to do something to them one last time to vent out some frustration I had before I couldn't do it anymore."

Jack nodded his head as if he understood and unlocked Draco's cell door.

"Are you ready for today's trial? You seem rather eager," Jack asked with a small smile on his lips as he waved him over.

"Of course I'm eager. I'm sure you would be too if you were in my situation. I finally have a chance of getting out of this place," Draco said as he walked towards him.

He felt a little nervous about the verdict but he wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. (Name) promised she would free him from Azkaban, forever, and he planned on believing in her until the end. There was no way she would allow the trial to end with anything but a good verdict for him.

"I won't deny that," Jack said as he began to put shackles on his wrists and ankles. "I think you were right to put all your faith in her. The wrath of your salvation is definitely something fierce. She's managed to find a way to discredit Rita Skeeter."

Jack finished placing the shackles on him and pulled out a copy of the Daily Prophet. On the front page Draco saw the story of Rita Skeeter as well as the announcement for the trial.

A grin broke out onto his face, and he let out a laugh in response once he was finished reading the articles. He couldn't help but flinch a little in pain but he ignored it as he spoke.

"I didn't expect anything less from her," Draco said proudly. "Her wrath has always been fierce. She's even more fearsome out here in the real world than she was in Hogwarts. That's why I'm glad I'm not on the other end of it this time. Not just anyone could actually make a famous newspaper writer lose their career just because they tried to get in the way."

"I can't help but feel a little relieved about it. At least my wife won't be telling me all of the latest gossip Rita Skeeter cooked up. I love her but sometimes it's annoying to listen to it," Jack commented.

Draco looked at him in amusement before they headed towards the elevators and made it down to the main floor. He was led over to a familiar black marble fireplace that was large enough to walk into. It would take him directly to the floor of Courtroom Ten in the Ministry of Magic.

"You know the drill. There are Auror's on the other end to make sure you won't escape until I also get to the ministry."

"I'm sure you know I won't try to escape."

"I do, they don't. Try not to provoke them. They won't hesitate to attack you."

"There's no reason for me to do that."

"I'm just remembering the last time you went through here. You weren't exactly pleasant to deal with. They're going to be on their guard."

Draco nodded his head then walked forward until he was inside the fireplace and turned around to face him. Jack threw Floo powder onto him, and Draco spoke calmly.

"Ministry of Magic."

He was instantly pulled through the floo network until he finally reached the ministry where there were five Auror's waiting for him. Their eyes narrowed in on him and he noticed they already had their wands out in case he tried to do something. Granger was also standing a little farther down the black marble hallway and gave him a nod of acknowledgement which he returned. He took a couple of steps forward and silently waited for Jack to appear behind him.

"Alright, are you ready?" Jack asked as he stood next to him.

Draco nodded his head then Jack led him down the hallways with the five Auror's following behind them.

"The trial should start soon," Jack informed him once they reached Granger.

"It will. In the next ten minutes, as a matter of fact," Granger said as she began to walk next to him.

Granger was silent for a few moments then spoke again.

"You know, (Name) isn't going to like the shape you're in."

"Miss Granger, you shouldn't stand so close to him. He might attack you," one of the Auror's said with mistrust.

"He won't do that. I'm his defense," Granger said to him.

"What?" another Auror asked in disbelief.

"You?" another asked with an incredulous look on his face.

"This guy is harmless. He was framed," Jack said in his defense.

"Are you serious?" the first Auror asked.

"Why do you think that?" a different Auror asked.

"This guy is crazy about (Last Name). There's no possible way he could hurt her or hand her over to the Death Eaters," Jack replied in his defense.

The five Auror's looked at Jack completely flabbergasted but didn't say anything in response. Draco also didn't say anything to refute his claims.

They didn't see anyone else as they walked through the various hallways until they turned one last corner. A long line of Death Eaters was standing at the other end of the hallway in front of a door that led into the courtroom. More than a dozen Auror's were next to them to ensure none of them would be able to get away. Draco smirked in satisfaction when he noticed every single Death Eater had at least one bruise on their face.

"Hey, Smith, did I finally manage to knock out that loose tooth you had?" he called out as they made it to the back of the line.

All of the Death Eaters looked back at him with obvious anger but didn't say anything in response. He couldn't stop a cheeky grin from appearing on his face before he flinched once more.

Granger shook her head in disbelief.

"Men," she muttered.

Jack looked over at her in amusement before she decided to speak to him.

"Everything's in order for his release after the trial isn't it?"

Jack nodded and spoke.

"It is. He'll be released about thirty minutes after the trial ends. That's just long enough to finalize some paperwork and to clean himself up a bit. It wasn't too difficult to arrange with Gawain and Kingsley on his side. I had their approval right away. Personally, I think it's long overdue. He's been held up in Azkaban long enough. We don't need to keep him all night like we usually do."

Draco looked at him with a grateful expression on his face before Granger spoke again this time to talk to him.

"Harry, Ron, and Neville have agreed to help out with the situation involving Johnson. They'll follow them to the restaurant they're going to then one of them will come to Azkaban to pick us up. The rest will be up to you to decide how you're going to handle everything."

Draco nodded his head in understanding while silently wishing he could hex the bastard for having the audacity to go after (Name).

He wasn't so Gryffindorish to not think things through though before he did things. However, as much as he hated to admit it, he could think of several situations where he had acted without thinking when (Name) was concerned. It was a side of him only she seemed to be capable of bringing out. As it would so happen, this was one of those times he was finding it extremely difficult to not act on impulse. The only reason that he wasn't going to was the same reason he wanted to, (Name). He couldn't let her effort go to waste after all the work she's put into the trial just for him. Tonight he would have to hold back and play everything by ear to see what he had to do when the time came for him to interrupt their date. There was one thing though that he did know he was going to do. He wasn't going to let tonight go off without a hitch for Johnson. No one gets in the way of a Malfoy especially when it comes to the object of their affections.

 **XXXXXX**

It didn't take us very long to make it to the Ministry since I was walking as quickly as possible due to the cold. We took an elevator down to the floor where Courtroom Ten was and walked through the many black marble hallways until we made it into the room.

The large square courtroom was lit by hundreds of torches that were floating in the air or hanging down from the black stone walls. Along each wall were long benches rising in levels where at least 200 people could sit to watch the trial that was about to take place. I instantly noticed there were hardly any seats left in the people filled room. The only benches that were empty were at the opposite end of the room where the Wizengamot would sit. At the center of the room was an open area where eighteen tall back chairs were placed. Each chair had chains connected to them that would wrap around the people who were going to sit in them today. Seventeen of the chairs were placed into three rows while one chair was at the very front of the group.

A smirk appeared on my lips as I spoke.

"The turn out was better than I could have ever imagined."

"It's not really that much of a surprise. People are always eager to come to a Death Eater trial especially one of this scale," Ron said.

In the crowd I could see more than just a few people from our Hogwarts days. Some of them were Draco's old friends like Goyle, Parkinson, Nott, and Zabini. Gary had managed to snatch up a spot near the front of the room on the left side. It wasn't hard to figure out why he chose that spot. It was one of the best seats in the room. He would have an extremely good view of the faces of everyone who was being put on trial once they were sitting in their respective chairs.

"Harry, over here!" I heard Ginny call out as we finally stepped into the center area of the room.

We looked over at her and noticed she managed to save us seats at the right side of the room near the front straight across from where Gary was. The witnesses I asked to appear, Ron's family and Lucius Malfoy were all sitting next to each other in the same section. Mr. Malfoy didn't seem to be happy about the predicament.

My eyes widened in surprise when I also noticed a very familiar blonde haired woman sitting next to him with a sour expression on her face that matched his. She was the very same woman who managed to get me thrown into Azkaban all those years ago.

"Hey, do any of you know who the blonde haired woman sitting next to Draco's father is?" I asked as we headed towards the group.

"That's Malfoy's mother," Ron said.

His words were enough to make me stop walking.

"What?! Are you bloody serious?! She's Draco's mother?!" I asked loudly as I pointed at her accusingly.

I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't that!

My outburst was loud enough to make Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy look over at me.

Harry, Ron, and Neville gazed at me in confusion and yet also amusement while I stared at Draco's parents with a flabbergasted expression on my face. If I wouldn't have been so shocked, I was certain I would have been embarrassed about the attention his parents were suddenly giving me due to my outburst. What I didn't expect was for both of them to glare at me with hatred.

I slowly lowered my hand and stared at them in confusion while fighting a frown that was threatening to appear on my lips.

It wasn't like I haven't faced hatred like what they were directing towards me but that didn't mean I liked it... In fact, for some reason, it bothered me even more than usual.

"What is it?" Harry asked as he noticed my change in attitude.

"It's nothing... never mind," I said to him as I looked away from Draco's parents.

We walked over to the four empty seats on the first row. I sat down between Ron and Harry on the bench while Neville sat on the other side of Harry.

"Are you ready for the trial?" Kingsley asked me from the other side of Ron.

"As ready as I'm going to be," I said with a weak smile.

"You're still nervous?" Neville asked me.

"A little. My testimony... It's just a little difficult to talk about everything that's happened."

They gave me looks of understanding before the door in the opposite corner opened. I immediately sat up straight as Draco, Hermione, the prison guard from Azkaban, Smith, Hastings, Ray, Nicholas, and twelve others were brought into the room. There were two Auror's walking next to each Death Eater and five near Draco as if he was the biggest threat out of all of them.

My eyes focused on Draco and I couldn't help but feel slightly alarmed by his appearance as I took in his beaten up form.

"Bloody hell, what has he been doing to himself? Is his nose broken?" I asked in disbelief and worry.

"From the looks of it, he decided to beat on all of the Death Eaters one last time," Ron said with satisfaction in his voice.

I felt a great amount of concern for him as Draco was led to the chair in the middle of the front row. He sat down and the chains connected to the chair quickly wrapped around his body. The moment I saw him flinch I cursed under my breath and frowned. It took everything in my willpower to stay where I was.

Just how beaten up was he?!

I wasn't sure what I disliked more, the fact he was now chained to his chair like the other Death Eaters or that he was hurt. I hated the fact he had been thrown into prison without a second thought. I hated the fact he had been put through all of this. No one ever gave him a chance to tell his side of the story before they did this to him.

With that in mind, the nervousness I was feeling before was completely forgotten and my resolve to free him strengthened. Everything I was going to say today — no matter how personal or unpleasant — was for him. No matter what it took, I had to get him out of here. I had to free him. I wasn't going to stop until I had a good verdict for him. I would _never_ stop trying until he was finally free.

Hermione and Draco looked around before she spotted us. I watched her as she spoke to Draco who quickly looked over at me. A stern expression appeared on my face and I could tell from the expression on his face he knew I was close to yelling at him. She spoke to him again with an "I told you so" look and the prison guard looked over at me and smiled.

"All rise for the Wizengamot," a man announced.

All of us, except for the people chained to their chairs, stood up as the Wizengamot walked into the room. Every single one of them was in purple robes. Once they were sitting, all of us also sat down and the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot spoke.

"This is the trial for these Death Eaters, all of which have been accused of betraying the Ministry and kidnapping (First Name) (Last Name). If accused, they will be thrown into Azkaban for life," he said before he gazed down at Hermione with a questioning gaze. "Miss Granger, I've been told you'll be defending Malfoy during this trial?"

"Yes," Hermione said with a nod.

The room suddenly filled with loud whispers while people stared at her in shock from the news. As a result, the Chief Warlock was forced to smack his gavel down onto the surface in front of him.

"Order! Order!"

It didn't take the room long to quiet down.

"Will we also be expecting witnesses?" he asked once it was completely silent.

"Yes."

"Then show us your defense," he said with a nod.

Hermione looked over at me and I nodded my head with a determined expression on my face.

"I want to call up (First Name) (Last Name), if that is alright Chief Warlock?" Hermione said while looking at him once again.

"Proceed," he said with a nod.

Hermione nodded at me and I stood up. Everyone in the room watched me as I walked over to the empty chair in front of the Death Eaters and stood in front of it.

"You don't mind if I do something first before I start my testimony, do you Chief Warlock?" I asked him politely.

"Must you do it now?" he asked with a frown.

"Yes," I said with a firm nod.

"Does it require you to leave the courtroom?"

"No."

"...Do what you must," he said with a sigh.

"Thank you."

I quickly turned around and gazed at Draco with an annoyed expression on my face. He gave me a perplexed look until his eyes widened in surprise as I began to march over to him. My eyes could only widen in shock as I took a closer look at him. He looked even worse close up than from the benches! The shiner he had was the worst one I had seen in a long time. His split lip was even worse than the last one. Even his nose was crooked as well as extremely swollen and bruised!

Draco could only look at me with wide eyes, and I noticed his Adams apple move a little as he gulped nervously.

"You bloody idiot! Have you seen yourself?! You'll ruin your good looks if you keep this up! Damn it, you look even worse up close!" I shouted at him annoyed with concern on my face.

"You think I'm attractive?" he asked me with a cheeky grin.

It was after that I noticed him flinch due to the bruise on his cheek.

His response was the last thing I expected. I opened my mouth to say something but I had a hard time coming up with a response as a blush appeared on my cheeks.

"S-Shut up! Now is not the time to be cheeky!" I stuttered out.

Amusement appeared on his face as I bent forward and lightly placed the tip of my right pointer finger against his nose.

"Episkey," I said.

His nose quickly moved back in place as it mended and I placed my left thumb gingerly on his bottom lip and repeated the action. Just like his nose, it quickly mended. I moved my fingers against the skin of his cheek and eye to heal them as well.

"There, that should do it for now until I can deal with the other wounds you're hiding under that atrocious garb. Feel better?"

"Yeah, thanks," he said with a small grateful smile.

"I want you to promise me not to do it again," I said with a stern expression on my face while holding his face in my hands.

"You know I can't do that," he said with a sigh.

"Promise me. I'm really not worth all this trouble."

It was Draco's turn to look at me with a stern expression on his face.

"I don't want to hear that come out of your mouth again, understand? You are and always will be worth it. Do not make me repeat myself," he said firmly.

I opened my mouth to try to say something but nothing seemed to come to my mind. All I could feel was warmth from his words as I stared at him with wide eyes.

He's willing to say that even in front of all these people? In front of his parents even?

"Instead of focusing on this, you need to focus on the trial. We'll talk more after," he said as the expression on his face softened.

"He's right, (Name)," Hermione said to me.

I looked over at her.

"I... Fine... Fine... You're right," I said as I hesitantly nodded my head.

I paused and looked over at Draco again.

"You don't have to worry Draco, once this is over you're going to be a free man. Forever," I promised again with determination in my eyes.

He nodded his head in response without any sign of doubt on his face.

"I know I will be. I trust you," he said.

I stood up straight then turned around to face the Wizengamot. Most of them either had stony expressions or were looking at me suspiciously.

The damage Rita Skeeter and Hastings had done to Draco's reputation was extremely apparent with the way they were acting. It was going to take a lot to convince them he was innocent.

A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I walked forward to stand next to the empty chair. I wanted to keep my coat on, but I forced myself to take it off and placed it inside of the chair. Several people made gasps of surprise as they looked at my frail and scarred form. I didn't dare to look at Draco to see his reaction.

"You don't mind if I stand do you, Chief Warlock?" I asked as I looked up at him. "I don't think I can sit through this testimony."

"That's fine. State your purpose," he said as he nodded his head with a look of surprise still on his face as he continued to stare at me.

I nodded my head in response and looked around at everyone inside of the room as I spoke.

"There are several things I want to accomplish with the testimony I give today. As expected, I am here to tell everyone what really happened the night I was captured and about my time with the Death Eaters. I also plan on proving Draco's innocence which is why Hermione Granger has graciously offered to act as his representative," I said as I motioned towards her.

That remark seemed to make a few people, especially people who went to school with us, look at me in surprise. When several members of the Wizengamot looked at Hermione with questioning gazes, she nodded her head to confirm what I said.

"I also have another reason which is just as important as the rest."

Some members of the Wizengamot looked at me again with curious expressions on their faces, including the Chief Warlock. I opened my mouth and spoke boldly with a stern and determined expression on my face.

"My last purpose for being here is to make sure Draco's character is never put into question again," I said firmly.

That statement alone seemed to be enough to grab everyone's attention as they stared at me.

"By the end of this trial, no one will be able to assume Draco is guilty for a crime he didn't commit because of his past. Never again will he be forced to sit here like this, chained to a chair as if he were some sort of criminal. With my testimony, I will make sure he doesn't have to live the rest of his life under everyone's scrutiny. Those are my reasons for being here today," I said boldly.

Incredulous looks appeared on more than half of the Wizengamot's faces as they stared at me in disbelief. It was obvious they weren't convinced. Even Draco, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville had surprised expressions on their faces from my bold claim. Most of the people in the audience were looking at me with similar expressions. The only people who weren't were Kingsley, Gawain, and the prison guard. They seemed to be interested about what I was going to say.

I spoke again a little more calmly than before.

"The only way for that to happen though is if you have ears to hear with, eyes to see with, minds to think with and hearts to feel with. My testimony will only free Draco from his fate if all of you are willing to give him a chance. You have to be willing to see past his time as a Death Eater during the war. In other words, you have to be capable and willing to see him as the man he is today."

I turned my back to the Wizengamot and faced the audience in the room.

"My words also apply to all of you. This testimony is not only aimed towards the Wizengamot but to everyone within the wizarding world," I declared.

The silent room suddenly filled with loud whispers as the audience spoke to each other in disbelief. Draco stared at me in amazement and disbelief of his own. I could tell he wanted to say something but he refrained from doing so in order to not interrupt my testimony.

"Order! Order!" the Chief Warlock shouted as he smacked his gavel down onto the surface in front of him again.

I waited until everyone fell silent then turn around and stared at the Wizengamot closely for a few long moments. My eyes made their way back over to the Chief Warlock and I opened my mouth again to speak.

"May I begin my testimony?" I asked respectfully.

"You shall proceed," he said with a hint of interest in his eyes.

I was silent as I began to pace back and forth. My hands were up in a prayer position in front of my lips as I collected my thoughts. The way I worded everything had to be precise. I had to make sure they didn't lose focus on the story I was about to tell them. Everything depended on it.

A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I stopped pacing and lowered my hands. I faced the Wizengamot and gathered up all the courage I could muster. It was now or never.

"The story I'm going to tell you, which is my testimony, may not seem like it is pertinent to this case at first. I can assure you all, however, it is. It is a story that very few people know about. In fact, the only ones who know the entire story are Draco and me," I said as I made a motion towards him. "I would have preferred to keep it a secret — I don't like dwelling in the past — but for Draco's sake I have no other alternative but to tell it. You won't be able to see his true character or where his loyalties truly lie if I don't."

Draco's eyes widened a little in surprise and I knew that he had realized what I was going to talk about.

"Sorry, Miss (Last Name), but if only you and he know about it how will it be proven?" the Chief Warlock asked.

"There are ways to prove most of it," I said to him carefully.

"But how can we trust your words? Malfoy could have paid you to testify in his favor," he retorted.

Another member of the Wizengamot nodded his head and spoke.

"The Malfoy's are well known for using their money to influence others. They've also threatened many people to get their own way. Rita Skeeter at least had that right. You could really be wrapped around his little finger."

Whispers filled the room as people who agreed with them spoke to each other and I was beginning to feel annoyed.

"Yes, they are, aren't they? Anyone can be bought off if given enough money," I heard Hastings say smugly from behind me.

A scowl appeared on my face as I turned around to look at him.

The last thing I needed was him or any of the other Death Eaters to add fuel to the fire. They already doubted the validity of my testimony because of Rita Skeeter!

"You shut up!" I shouted at him annoyed as I pointed my right pointer finger at him. "Silencio!"

I quickly repeated the action and silenced the rest of the Death Eaters to prevent them from speaking again. They glared at me in response, and I returned it. Everyone else in the room was silent as they stared at me in surprise.

"Idiots should learn to speak only when spoken to," I said to them harshly.

A small smile appeared on Draco's lips.

"Calm down. I'm sure your testimony will give them their answer if you're going to tell them what I think you are," he said to me.

I looked at him and hesitantly nodded my head. It took everything I had not to yell at the Chief Warlock and everyone else in the room as I forced myself to calm down a little. They weren't even trying to give him a chance, and I couldn't help but feel annoyed about it.

There was obvious irritation in my voice that I couldn't hide as I spoke my next words.

"I can assure you that if I didn't think he was innocent I would not be standing here trying to prove it to all of you. All the hell I've been put through during the last ten months would have damned him. That doesn't even include my past experiences with him. The Malfoy's have never been able to intimidate or influence me in anyway and they never will. I could care less about their money. I am here to prove Draco's innocence of my own accord. Once you hear my story, I'm sure you'll understand."

An idea suddenly occurred to me that would help prove what only Draco and I knew as well.

"If you still don't believe me, I will allow you to extract my memories and view them all within a penesieve," I offered.

The Chief Warlock nodded his head.

"Fine. Proceed," he said satisfied by my answer.

I nodded my head then spoke after I had recollected my thoughts.

"Before I start my story, I want to state I'm a Muggle-born witch. If you don't believe me, I'm sure the scar on my inner left forearm can speak for itself," I said as I walked over to the Chief Warlock and showed it to him.

His eyes were wide in surprise and he looked at me with a hint of pity in his eyes.

"What does it say?" I heard one of the Wizengamot ask from the back.

"Mudblood," I said as I lowered my arm. "The word was carved into my arm while I was with the Death Eaters. Many others can attest to the fact I'm a Muggle-born witch including people within the audience. Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Gawain will also be able to confirm I didn't have the scar before then."

The Chief Warlock, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Gawain nodded their heads to confirm what I told everyone. More than a few members of the Wizengamot gazed at me in surprise then confusion as they looked at me then Draco.

"Based on your expressions, it's obvious you're confused. I'm sure you're wondering why a Muggle-born witch would try to get a Malfoy out of prison. I'm also sure it puts more doubt in your minds. The answer to your questions can also be answered by the story I'm about to tell you. All I ask is that no one interrupts until the story is told. Can you all do that for me?"

The Chief Warlock looked at me for a few long moments before he decided to nod his head.

"We can," he agreed.

"Thank you," I said with a grateful expression on my face.

I paced nervously back and forth while Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Neville looked at me with curiosity. Draco and I were the only ones who understood, to a certain extent, how our relationship evolved into what it is today. The full story of what happened between me and Draco wasn't something I was too keen on talking about. That's why I never told them. Even I didn't completely understand everything. I still didn't understand why he decided to help me that night in the common room. He could have ridiculed me once I told him everything. It would have meant one less Muggle-born to deal with. He didn't though instead he decided to comfort me and was actually angry with me when I told him I was going to kill myself. I never asked why he did it. I was just happy I had someone by my side.

A sigh escaped my lips, and I looked down at the floor in thought as I spoke.

"Everything started when I was a baby. My parents died, and I was placed inside of an orphanage. To this day, I have no idea if I have any living relatives. The conditions weren't favorable, but I wasn't alone. I made friends with many of the other children there and the caretakers didn't treat us badly. Everything changed though the moment I showed my magical abilities. I was nine at the time. One of my friends was hurt, and I managed to heal their broken wrist."

I couldn't help but think of what happened that day with sadness in my eyes.

"I'm sure all of you know how people are with things they don't understand," I said as I looked around the room. "Either they become extremely fascinated or they become fearful. Everyone chose the latter. I was deemed a freak by everyone there and shunned or bullied. As a result, I spent my days in solitude inside of my small room where I lost myself in story books to forget about the world outside. It was my way of coping with the loneliness I felt."

I began to pace back and forth due to my nervousness. It made me feel extremely uncomfortable to talk about this. I felt vulnerable. The whole wizarding world and everyone I knew was going to know my whole life story. Nonetheless, I continued speaking.

Draco's freedom was more important than my reputation or need for secrecy.

"When I turned eleven, something else happened that completely changed my life. Dumbledore suddenly appeared at the orphanage to talk to me. He told me I was a witch and invited me to come to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," I said with a weak smile.

I stopped pacing and looked at everyone again.

"Most of you here expect an invitation. It's taken for granted. For me, however, that simple invitation gave me hope that I didn't have before. The future I had was bleak, and I knew it. I was a girl who had nothing. I would simply be thrown onto the streets to fend myself when it was finally time for me to leave the orphanage. Everyone there was looking forward to throwing me out. As a result, I believed I would always be alone because of the strange things that happened around me that I couldn't explain. And I believed that I would always have nothing. Dumbledore suddenly gave me the opportunity to do something with my life, to be somebody. He gave me a future I would never have otherwise. That simple invitation became my salvation."

The courtroom was completely silent as everyone hung onto my every word. Many people in the Wizengamot and the audience had curious expressions on their faces. I knew they were all questioning why I was telling them about my past.

"Dumbledore was kind enough to buy my wand, robes, and school supplies in Diagon Alley and I made it onto the Hogwarts Express a few weeks later. It was on the train I met Draco as a boy," I said as I motioned to him. "I was hesitant to sit with anyone on the train and was searching for an empty compartment. We quite literally bumped into each other during my search as he was walking out of his compartment. He kindly offered to let me sit with him, Crabbe, and Goyle and during the ride there we quickly became friends."

Incredulous looks appeared on most of the people's faces including Draco's parents. I couldn't exactly blame them. How often do you hear of a Muggle-born witch becoming friends with a Malfoy?

"Before you start questioning the validity of my story, I'll state now that he didn't know I was a Muggle-born witch. I never told him. It didn't seem like it mattered at the time. I wasn't aware there was a problem until later," I explained.

My response seemed to satisfy most of the people inside the courtroom and I continued my testimony.

"I remember that he told me he wanted to be sorted into Slytherin like the rest of his family. He believed, and probably still does, that it's the best house in Hogwarts. Since I was a Muggle-born, I didn't really know what he was talking about but I still listened to him. Eventually, he asked me which house I wanted to be in and I told him that I wanted to be in the same one as him. The moment I found out I would be separated from him if I was sorted into a different house, I desperately wished for it even more so than before. He was the first friend I made and I wanted to stay with him. Then I heard the sorting hats song and decided at that moment Slytherin really was the best house. It said I'd make real friends there."

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, George, and Ginny gave me looks of pity.

"I'll never forget the words it said to me before it called out my house. It gave me a warning. "The path you have chosen will not be an easy one, but it may do you well to have some adversity." It had given me a choice between Gryffindor and Slytherin. I chose Slytherin and I was sorted there as a result. I was a Muggle-born witch who was friends with Draco Malfoy and I was in Slytherin. A strange combination, right?"

Surprised expressions appeared on most of the people's faces. Draco's parents, on the other hand, looked at me with distaste along with the Death Eaters in the room. It was a look I was quite accustomed to. That didn't mean I was completely immune to it, though. I found myself looking towards the floor, so I wouldn't have to see the expressions on Draco's parents' faces anymore.

I forced my mind to focus on the story and a weak smile appeared on my lips when I thought about the beginning of our first year.

"The first month at Hogwarts was the best time of my life and I treasured every moment of it. I didn't have to deal with anyone at the orphanage and I had friends. It was almost surreal how my life had seemingly turned completely around."

Afterwards the smile disappeared from my lips and I gazed back up at the Wizengamot.

"That happiness though didn't last long. Draco and his friends, all pureblooded witches and wizards, eventually found out I was a Muggle-born witch. As a result, they turned their backs on me and began to bully me. What other friends I had made inside of our house began to avoid me as well because they didn't also want to be bullied. Everyone in the other houses didn't even try to befriend me because I was in Slytherin. They didn't trust me. I was once again completely alone."

My eyes found their way to Draco, and I saw the guilty expression on his face. A quiet sigh escaped my lips while he stared at me.

"You don't have to keep beating yourself up over it Draco. I wouldn't be bringing it up again if I didn't have to. I've already forgiven you. You know that. I forgave you a long time ago," I said to him with a gentle expression on my face.

A weak smile appeared on his lips that didn't seem to reach his eyes as he nodded his head. I looked at the others inside of the room and spoke again.

"They bullied me constantly. There wasn't a single day that went by I wasn't tormented and ridiculed by them in some way. I spent the first couple of years ignoring them as best as I could. The task proved difficult though considering the fact I was in the same house as they were. I even shared a dorm room with them. The library became the only safe haven I had. They never followed me there. Madame Pince wouldn't have allowed them to cause a ruckus inside of the library. I was once again forced to submerge myself in my storybooks and studies as a way to cope with the situation."

A small frown appeared on my lips when my mind went to the beginning of our third year.

"My third year at Hogwarts changed things for me a little. I'm sure all of you remember when the Dementors came to the school because of Sirius Black?"

Many of the Wizengamot nodded their heads.

"The first time I encountered them on the train, I found out how my parents were killed. I was with them when it happened... It was as quick as the snap of a finger," I said as I snapped my fingers to demonstrate. "There was an explosion and I heard their screams of horror then it was all over."

I paused for a long moment as sadness filled every fiber of my being.

"The only memory I have of my parents was and still is of their death... The Dementors made me faint and Draco and his friends made sure to make fun of me as much as they could for it. I'm sure I don't have to tell everyone how I felt after running into the Dementors. Anyone who has been unfortunate enough to be with them knows. Night after night the memory wouldn't quit haunting me. My mind wanted to play over my parent's screams of horror instead of allowing me to sleep."

Several members of the Wizengamot were looking down at me with pity along with many people in the audience. Draco's parents had frowns on their faces as they stared at me critically. It was obvious they didn't like the fact I was putting Draco in a bad light.

"Eventually, it all became too much to handle. The night I finally snapped I was in an extremely foul mood because of the memory. Madame Pince forced me to go to the Great Hall for dinner, and I was the last person to arrive. Draco decided to throw his usual snide remark, and I chose to ignore it like usual. However, he decided to trip me in the Great Hall in front of everyone. I was embarrassed and beyond angry. I told him I had had enough and eventually I slapped him as hard as I could," I said as a smirk appeared on my lips.

I still felt extremely satisfied by what I had done that night even after all these years.

"One thing led to another as everything quickly escalated and I threw pie into his face and started to beat up on him the old fashioned Muggle way. It was all extremely satisfying," I finished with satisfaction in my voice.

Draco's parents stared at me with flabbergasted expressions on their faces.

"You did a bang up job too!" George said.

"Thanks George," I said with a grin as I looked at him.

Harry, Ron, Neville, Hermione, George, and Ginny had amused expressions on their faces.

"Don't enjoy yourself too much with the memory," Draco muttered like he was pouting a little.

I looked at him with amusement for a moment along with the prison guard and Hermione and spoke to everyone else in the room.

"In any case, from that point on I began to fight back. I can't count how many times he threatened to tell his father about what I had done to him or how many detentions I received because of it. In fact, I have a scar at the back of my hand from the Black Quill Umbridge used on us during out fifth year to prove it. He loved throwing me in detention for defying him since he was a Prefect and part of the Inquisitorial Squad."

Draco's eyes widened and I saw him look down at my right hand.

"What?" the Chief Warlock asked appalled.

I walked over to the Chief Warlock and showed it to him as I spoke.

"I was the student she despised the most, other than Harry of course. Like so many others she hated the fact I was a Slytherin and a Muggle-born. As you can see, the words on my hand are "I will not tarnish Slytherin House" but I continued to tarnish it. I didn't care about the pain it caused me. Venting out my frustrations on Draco, the person I loathed the most, was the only thing I could do. I wasn't about to let him walk all over me just because he had become a Prefect or because some woman didn't like me."

I lowered my hand and turned around only to find Draco looking at me with an extremely guilty expression on his face. In response, I marched up to him and lightly flicked his forehead.

"Wha-?" he started saying indignantly.

"Don't. How many times do I have to tell you not to beat yourself up over it?" I said sternly.

I didn't want him blaming himself for something like this.

He looked to the side with a frown on his lips.

"Draco," I said sternly.

"How can I not?" he asked as he looked at me again.

"You already made it up to me. Now shut up and stop looking at me like that before I slap you like I did our third year you bloody wanker! You're interrupting my testimony!" I said with a huff.

"I think you did that yourself by flicking my forehead," he retorted haughtily.

"Well, you deserved it! I'm not about to continue my testimony with you looking at me like that! You didn't give me the Black Quill, that ugly toad woman did! Also, I continued to get myself thrown into detention because I wouldn't allow you to ridicule me anymore without fighting back! Was that your fault?! No! It was my bloody choice! If you want to make it up to me — although, I think you already have — then stop blaming yourself for every damn thing that happens to me!" I said annoyed as I jabbed my pointer finger into his chest.

He stared at me with wide eyes as I turned my back towards him to continue with my testimony. I gazed up at the Wizengamot and noticed they had extremely perplexed looks on their faces while looking at Draco and me.

"Now, back to my testimony," I said as I took a couple steps forward. "When sixth year came, it began like usual. Actually, even though Draco's father had been thrown into Azkaban, he had become even more pompous than before which is definitely saying something. Then all the bullying suddenly came to a screeching halt during the school year. For obvious reasons I thought it was odd. Why would a boy who seemed to go out of his way to torment me suddenly stop doing so? At first I thought it was because he was planning something but whenever I looked at him I didn't see the same boy from before. He wasn't confident. In fact, he seemed like he was extremely preoccupied by something."

As I looked around the room, my eyes made it over to Draco's parents. They were looking at him with guilt filled expressions on their faces that matched the one Draco had given me only a little while before.

"Near the end of the year, I couldn't sleep and headed down to the common room only to find him there. I still remember seeing him on the couch as if it was yesterday. At first I was annoyed he was there — I didn't want to deal with him — but when I really looked at him I knew something was wrong. He seemed like he was going to have some sort of nervous break down and looked strangely vulnerable. It was also obvious he hadn't been eating or sleeping properly. He was too thin and there were black circles under his eyes. Despite the crap he put me through I couldn't help but feel concerned about him. As a result, I found myself asking him if he was alright before I could stop myself."

Surprise appeared on many people's faces due to my words.

I knew they were surprised that I would even bother to show him concern after everything he had done to me. Even I surprised myself when I did it. But looking back on it I'm sure it was because I felt sorry for him. I knew what it was like to feel like the world was falling down all around you. I knew what it was like to be completely and totally alone. He may have been my enemy, but that didn't mean he had to suffer by himself.

"Like many of our confrontations, I remember him speaking snidely to me and I told him off. Afterwards, I turned around to head back up to the girl's dormitories to get away from him. However, before I could take a single step he did something I never would have expected him to do... He called out to me. I'll never forget the way he sounded. There was sadness, vulnerability, and also a small desperate cry of help in his voice. That night he never told me what was wrong — he had composed himself before he could and left the common room — but I never forgot that vulnerability."

Draco looked as if he was reliving the moment in his mind while everyone else was extremely intrigued by the story.

"It wasn't until later that year I found out what had been bothering him. He had been given a task, to kill Dumbledore. The mission Voldemort gave him was too much for him to bear. Draco may have been one of the Death Eaters — he has the faded tattoo on his inner left forearm to prove it — but there was something I knew at the end of the year. He couldn't kill Dumbledore. Draco also knew he couldn't. That's why he was so preoccupied by his thoughts. That's why he looked like he was going to break down in the common room that night. He was afraid of what Voldemort would do to him because he couldn't accomplish his mission. All of you know it was ultimately Snape who killed him. I know if he was capable of it, he would have done it. However, he couldn't. He couldn't follow in his father's footsteps. He couldn't be a true Death Eater. He couldn't kill anyone. Draco isn't evil, never has been," I declared.

Everyone's eyes widened in shock from my declaration. Draco simply looked at me in wonder.

I paused and began to pace back and forth again with everyone staring at me as I gazed down at the floor. A frown appeared on my lips and I brushed my right hand through my hair. I was getting closer and closer to the most important part of my testimony. It was also going to be the hardest part to talk about.

I gathered up my courage and opened my mouth to tell everyone about the next year. It wasn't something I liked to think about.

"All of us remember what happened when Voldemort came into power. The Muggle-born Registration Committee was created, and people like me were asked to go in for an interview. Due to Dumbledore's death, I had decided I was going to stay at the orphanage. He was the only thing that had been protecting me against Voldemort and the Death Eaters. However, the Ministry had other plans. Snatchers were sent to get me, and I narrowly escaped. I eventually decided I needed to find out what was going on but while I was in Diagon Alley I was captured. Umbridge found me and while I was running away a blonde haired woman that was with Draco helped capture me."

I stopped pacing and gazed over at Narcissa. Her eyes widened in surprise and a look of realization appeared on her face. She knew she was the woman I was talking about.

"At the time I didn't know it, but she was none other than Draco's mother," I said motioning towards her.

Everyone stared at me in shock and Harry, Ron, Neville, Hermione, and Ginny also looked at her. Draco, on the other hand, had a guilty expression on his face once again.

I looked around the room and gave everyone a hard look.

"At the point all of you should realize I wouldn't be here to prove Draco's character if I still hated him. I sure as hell wouldn't have accepted money from the Malfoy's to speak in his defense if he was guilty. If the story so far isn't enough to convince you, then hopefully the next part will."

I paused for a moment and sighed quietly.

"Once I was captured I was taken to the Muggle-born Registration Committee for my trial. I was quickly found guilty of my crimes for being what I was and my wand was taken away from me. Umbridge, being the person she was, decided to do something different with me than the others. My punishment was to go to Hogwarts. At first I thought it was strange, after all, I was already a student there. It wasn't until later I found out her reason. After the trial, I was thrown into Azkaban until school started up again. There I was forced to relive my parent's death..."

Once again I paused and eventually spoke with sadness.

"It was there I also found myself becoming lonelier than I ever thought possible. My memory of that day expanded. Their laughter and the love they had for me were also there along with the explosion and their death. I was forced to go forward in life knowing how much they loved me and what had been taken from me in an instant."

A shaky sigh escaped my lips. It was still painful to think about. I knew it was a longing that would never go away. To this day, I wished they were here. I wanted to feel their hugs at least once. I wanted to feel their love in person without it being a distant memory. I knew, however, that was something that could never happen no matter how much I wished for it.

"As a result, I started the school year with a longing for my parents so strong that it tormented me. The only memory I had of them had been one of laughter, love, screams of horror and death. A part of me wanted to hear their voices again, but I didn't want to hear the explosion and their screams of horror," I said with pain on my face.

Harry gave me a look of understanding. I knew he knew what I felt. His parents had also been taken away from him when he was a baby. It wouldn't surprise me if he also experienced the same thing I had with the Dementors. I know he also fainted during our third year whenever he was around them.

"After I had been left at Hogwarts, Snape gave me the opportunity to be a student and I gladly accepted it. I found it strange at first but looking back at what I know now it makes sense. Just as Draco isn't evil, neither was Snape. He was a man with more courage than any of us could ever dream to have."

Hermione, Ron, and Harry nodded their heads in approval to my statement.

"The first person I ran into was Draco. A look of shock was on his face the moment he caught sight of me and all I could feel was anger. It was someone he had been with who forced me to go through what I had during the summer. I obviously told him off and didn't even wait for him to respond before I headed up to the dormitories. He couldn't even look me in the eye the next day or any day for most of that year."

I paused once more as I thought of the pain I was forced to endure during my last year of Hogwarts. The fact I had just experienced the same thing during the last ten months while I was trapped with the Death Eaters wasn't helping. It was pain, unlike any other and I knew I wouldn't forget it no matter how much time had passed. I had been forced to go through it too many times. It was the reason why I couldn't sleep properly without the help of a Sleeping Draught.

The vivid memories in my mind tried to take over, and I pinched my right arm to bring myself back into reality. The pain was enough to bring me back into the courtroom and I had to fight off a flinch. Draco immediately noticed something was off and stared at me in confusion and concern.

It's not real anymore. You're finally free. You only need to make it through this trial and the bastards who were captured will finally be in Azkaban. Draco will also be free. Just focus on that and nothing else.

I opened my mouth and finally began to speak again.

"It wasn't until the second day of school I realized why I had been sent to Hogwarts. During our first Defense Against the Dark Arts class, I was tortured extensively with the Cruciatus Curse by Amycus Carrow. I had become an example of filth and how to treat people like me. That was my purpose. And I was tortured the entire year."

Looks of horror appeared on everyone's faces with the exception of the people who already knew. Instead, their expressions were grave, and I could see the memory of it play through Neville's and Draco's eyes.

"Draco's behavior towards me changed that year. He was a shadow of his former self. There were occasions he was pompous but he never acted that way towards me. When he was asked to torture me during class, he was one of the ones who refused. Carrow didn't like that and punished him along with anyone else who refused. Once the holidays finally came, I left the castle for the first time in order to go back to the orphanage. I wanted to get away from it all. Unfortunately, a group of Snatchers was always outside my door. I was also a prisoner there and was never able to truly get away."

I looked around the room and mustered up the courage to speak again. It was finally the most crucial part of my testimony and also the most sensitive part.

"There were many times I tried to escape either the castle or the orphanage but none of my attempts were successful. I slowly lost hope that I would ever escape my fate. As a result, during the holidays, I made a decision. One day during potions class I concocted a fatal poison that would kill anyone within only a few minutes."

Everyone, except Draco, stared at me with looks of disbelief on their faces.

"Earlier that year I managed to obtain a vial of Felix Felicis after completing one of the difficult potions Professor Slughorn wanted us to make. I knew my plan would go off without a hitch if I took it. I suppose I could have used the Liquid Luck to try to escape but I didn't. I knew it wouldn't do much good. Eventually I would be recaptured and punished even worse than usual for my attempts."

I began to pace back and forth once again.

"Almost every night I went into the common room. It was difficult for me to sleep. There were many nights I found myself unable to get lost in the story of the book I brought down. Those nights were some of my darkest. Without a way to escape reality for a little while I couldn't cope with the situation I was in any longer. My will to live was dwindling into nothing."

A few people gasped when they realized why I had made the poison.

"The night I decided I had finally had enough of it all I had the poison and the vial of Liquid Luck on the table in front of me. I knew no one would be able to save me. It was my intention. I didn't want to be saved."

I made a motion of picking something up and holding it in front of my face as I continued speaking.

"I remember picking up the vial of Liquid Luck and staring at it for a few long moments. However, just as I was about to open it Draco spoke and alerted me to his presence," I said as I motioned towards him. "Much to my surprise he picked up the vial of poison and asked me what it was. I obviously couldn't answer him. Then, much to my horror, he decided to pretend like he was going to drink it to find out what it was. I know now that he knew I had concocted the poison. Apparently while I thought no one was watching, he saw me make it. He was pretending like he was going to drink from it in order to get me to confess to making the poison. Obviously I tried to stop him, but he was stronger than I was and pushed me down onto the couch. He threatened to open the vial and in one last attempt to stop him I pleaded for him to not drink it."

Everything that happened that night was still fresh in my mind. It was hard to forget. The night in the common room changed my life in more ways than I could have ever thought possible. He changed my life in more ways than I could have thought possible.

"He suddenly threw it into the wall on the other side of the room and shattered the vial preventing me, or anyone else, from using it. That's when his interrogations began. His first conclusion was that I was trying to use it to kill the Carrows, Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle, or him. I quickly told him it wasn't for them or him, but he still wanted answers. He wanted to know who I was planning to kill. In order to stop his accusations, I was forced to tell him I planned to use it on myself. When he found out, he suddenly became extremely angry. He asked me where my self-preservation was. That's when I couldn't stop myself. I told him everything about me and what I felt."

I stared at Draco and could see the memory play out in his eyes as he stared back at me.

"I was completely and utterly alone. No one would miss me. I would simply cease to exist and no one would shed a single tear. I was no one. I had nothing. I had absolutely no future..."

Draco gave me a look of sympathy and guilt and I knew he was blaming himself for it. It pained me to know I couldn't tell him otherwise. He was one of the main reasons why I was lonely to begin with. However, he is also the only reason why I don't feel the same way I did back then.

I chose that moment to look away from him and gazed up at the Wizengamot.

"I had reached a point in my life where I had given up. The future I knew I had at that point was one that I didn't want to be forced to live through. I couldn't handle the pain I was forced to live through day after day. I couldn't cope with the loneliness I was going through. I couldn't handle the longing I had, and still have, for my parents. All I wanted was to be held by them... All I wanted to feel was their love and warmth. I wanted the pain and suffering to end. Death was far easier than what I had to go through every day. At least if I died, I might be reunited with my parents. I might be able to see them again. The pain would finally be over... What was the point of self-preservation knowing all of that?" I asked everyone in the courtroom.

Harry, Ron, Neville, Hermione, Ginny, and so many others we went to school with were staring at me with wide eyes. I couldn't tell what was going through their minds.

The pain I felt that night was still very much engrained in my mind and I found myself gazing over at Draco. Tears I couldn't stop came to my eyes and I noticed his eyes widen in surprise. I couldn't help but feel overcome by emotion as I talked about what happened and looked at him chained to his chair. All I could feel was deep gratitude towards him. I owed my very life to him. He was the first person to extent kindness towards me. He was the first person who showed that they cared. Yet no one, absolutely no one, will even give him a chance. They weren't willing to see the good in him. That's why I had to tell everyone our story in the first place. Everyone still wants to continue treating him as if he was just like the other Death Eaters. He doesn't deserve to be treated like this. He doesn't deserve to be forced to live under everyone's scrutiny for the rest of his life. It made me angry and frustrated. I didn't want to see him treated like the other Death Eaters anymore...

My voice was shaky as I spoke while looking around at everyone else in the courtroom.

"Do you know what Draco did for me? He... He sat down next to me and held me. This boy, now a man, who I loathed with every part of my being, gave me something I never thought I would have. For the first time, someone chose to care. He chose to sit down next to me... He chose to hold me... He chose to save me. He made me promise to not give up. He... He took the Liquid Luck and promised me that I wouldn't have to go back to Azkaban. He promised me that I would have a future."

I looked at everyone and the tears began to fall down my cheeks.

"That night he gave me a friend when I needed someone the most and he continued to be there for me through the rest of the year. He saved me again during the battle of Hogwarts and we fought side by side against the Death Eaters. He risked his very life and defected. He fought for the side of the Light."

The anger and frustration I was feeling finally came to the surface as I spoke my next words.

"So how... how can you sit there and say I'm wrong?! How can any of you say that Draco is someone who can't be trusted?! How can any of you say he belongs with these Death Eaters?! How can any of you say he's evil?!"

Draco's eyes were wide along with everyone else's. After a few moments, a gentle expression appeared on his face as I tried to wipe away my tears but more kept coming.

"He changed after everything that happened during our sixth year. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him... He saved me. Even now he continues to save me. He gave the very same Liquid Luck he had taken from me to Harry, Ron, Neville, and his parents to find me. I would still be trapped in Hastings Manor being tortured senseless if it wasn't for him," I said with a shaky voice as I continued to cry.

It took me a few minutes to finally calm down before I could actually speak again.

"That is why Draco has my complete trust. He's the reason why I am standing here today in this courtroom. He's the only reason why I'm alive. If no one here can see he isn't guilty after everything I've told you, you're all bloody idiots," I said bluntly.

The Wizengamot, witnesses, and spectators were all staring at me with a wide range of emotions. Some were still skeptical, some were in shock, some were amazed and others had looks of understanding. Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione had new found respect while they looked at Draco. When I glanced over at Draco, he still had a gentle expression on his face while he stared at me.

"At this point, I'm sure all of you want to know about what happened the night of my kidnapping. Right?" I asked as I looked back up at the Wizengamot.

The Chief Warlock simply nodded his head with disbelief still on his face.

"The night I was kidnapped, Draco and I were headed to my apartment after dinner. We were talking to each other like usual as we laughed and joked around. That's when the Death Eaters pounced. One of them used the Seize and Pull Charm and pulled me into an alley that was right next to us. Draco tried his best to save me, but he was against more Death Eaters than he could handle on his own. They ambushed us and during the fight I was knocked unconscious."

"If that's the case, how can you really prove he's innocent?" one of the skeptical Wizengamot asked.

"Would he really try to save me if he was one of them? They had no intention of letting me get away from them alive. There would have been absolutely no reason for him to waste his time pretending to save me. I'll also go further into another reason why I know later," I said.

The woman nodded her head, and I continued to tell my story.

"After I had been kidnapped, I was taken to the Death Eaters hide out. I woke up and found myself chained to the wall inside of a cellar. At first I didn't know what to think of the situation I was in. Harry, Ron, Neville, and I have had quite a few encounters with these guys since we're Auror's but they never acted like this. They were acting more sophisticated than usual. However, I was more worried about Draco. I didn't know if they killed him. It was already strange they didn't kill me. I knew though I couldn't become distraught — it wouldn't have helped either of us — so I began to plan how I was going to find out what was going on. I could only pray he was still alive."

A sigh escaped my lips, and I began to pace while I spoke.

"All of you have witnessed first hand that I can use wandless magic. I used it to unshackle myself and began to slowly put my plan into motion as I ran to the other side of the room. Unfortunately, I couldn't see or hear through the metal door, so I was forced to wait until someone walked in. I couldn't risk being caught. Eventually, not one but five people came into the room. Three of them were Hastings, Hardcastle, and Nicholas. The other two were Jones and Williams," I said as I motioned to each of them. "I used the element of surprise to sneak up behind them and used the Freezing Charm on all of them."

Everyone was completely silent as they listened to me with interest on their faces.

"I used the Incarcerous Spell as a safety measure in case the Freezing Charm wore off and stole their wands. I'm sure all of you know my mind was racing at this point. There were so many flaws in my plan I didn't even know where to begin. I was inside of the Death Eaters headquarters. Someone could come into the room at any moment and if there were more people from the Ministry it would be difficult to escape. However, I knew I had to question them before I could leave so I shut the door and put a Silencing Charm on the room. Afterwards, I took the Freezing Charm off of Hastings to question him. For obvious reasons, he wouldn't answer so I had to use Legilimency to go through his mind."

"You know Legilimency?" the Chief Warlock asked in surprise.

"I learned it for my job. Gawain gave me access to top-secret information and as a result I was asked to learn Occlumency. He suggested that I should learn Legilimency as well when he realized I was capable of it."

"I see..." he said with a nod.

"When it was all said and done with, I found out they had in fact kept Draco alive. They were planning to use him as a scapegoat to throw suspicion off of themselves. And as much as I hate to say it, you all fell for their plan hook, line and sinker. The Death Eaters knew that no one would believe Draco when he said he wasn't involved in my kidnapping. It didn't take a genius to know that. You especially wouldn't believe him over the word of two Auror's. All of you gave the Death Eaters the opportunity they needed to act when you decided to have Auror's follow Draco around everywhere. Smith was given the task to follow behind us that night along with Lockhart who wasn't involved with the Death Eaters. The moment he found out he told Hastings about it and helped plan the whole event. Hastings and the other Death Eaters attacked us, and Smith made sure he and Lockhart ran into the opening of the alley at the perfect time. They both made it just in time to hear Hastings thank Draco for his services and the damage was done. It was the perfect little plan."

"What? What do you mean Auror's have been following me around everywhere?" Draco asked in annoyance.

"We had to take precautions. No one still understands why he was able to even get a job here," one of the Wizengamot said in their defense.

"He used the Liquid Luck to do it since absolutely no one here was willing to give him a chance. I had actually believed someone here saw what I saw in him and decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. To be honest, it's a little disappointing," I said bluntly.

No one said anything to refute my claim and a sigh escaped my lips. When I looked at Draco, he had an extremely perturbed expression on his face.

"Calm down. You managed to get your job, and I expect you to still have your job by the end of this _without_ Auror's following you around everywhere," I said while giving Kingsley, Gawain, and the head of his department Ken Wiggleswade a pointed look.

Kingsley and Gawain nodded their heads and eventually Wiggleswade also nodded. A smirk appeared on my lips as a look of satisfaction appeared on my face.

"Well, now I know he still has his job I'll continue with my testimony," I said as I looked back up at the Wizengamot. "After I found out about Draco becoming their scapegoat and Smiths involvement, I decided I needed to know what they were trying to do. It wasn't good. There were a lot more Death Eaters inside of the Ministry than I could have ever expected. Harry, Ron, Neville, and I had believed it was a small-scale operation, but it wasn't. I'm sure you can tell from the fact there are so many Ministry workers chained to chairs behind me. It was a full-scale operation to take over the Ministry."

Whispers rang through the room from everyone who didn't know about their plans before this. The Chief Warlock was forced to smack his gavel down on the surface in front of him once again.

"Order! Order!" he shouted.

I didn't speak until it was quiet again.

"They wanted the wizarding world to go back to the way it had been during the time Voldemort was in power. They wanted rid of Muggle-born witches and wizards like me. As Hastings said, people like me pose a threat to the blood purity of wizarding families. That was when I found out something else I didn't like. They planned to kill Draco."

His parents eyes widened in shock along with Draco's.

"When they were done with me, they planned to brutally murder me by ripping me apart piece by piece."

My words made Draco flinch and turn pale at the thought.

"It would give everyone incentive to place Draco on the chopping block. They knew the moment of all you found me you would want nothing more than to go after him. Hastings would easily convince you all to do it. The fact I knew it wouldn't be hard for him to do it pissed me off. I told him right after finding out everything I needed to know I was going to escape and tell everyone what really happened. However, while I was focused on questioning him, a Death Eater snuck behind me. He used the Cruciatus Curse on me and by the time it was over, everyone was released and I was back to square one."

"Can you tell us which one that was?" one of the Wizengamot asked.

"Henry Evans," I said as I pointed at him.

Evans simply smirked at me and I glared at him in response.

Bloody bastard...

"Smith also arrived and handed Hastings Draco's wand," I said as I look up at the Chief Warlock. "That's why it disappeared. They didn't want anyone to be able to find out what his last spells were. It would be obvious there was a struggle if they would have. It was after that I also found out why they kept me alive. They wanted me for information on the Ministry, Harry, Kingsley, and anything else they found relevant to their cause. That was also when Hastings screwed up."

A smirk came to my lips as I looked over at Hastings while he stared at me in confusion.

"You told me how invaluable I was. I was the only one who had close ties to Harry, the Auror's, Kingsley and Draco. I was one of the only people who had access to top-secret files in the Auror's Department. In other words, I knew you couldn't kill me without the information I held deep within my mind," I said causing Hastings to look at me with wide eyes. "After all, you may have had many people inside of the Ministry but you didn't have them in all the right places."

The rest of the Death Eaters stared at me in surprise before they glared at Hastings.

"After that night, I slowly began to devise a plan. I couldn't let all of you torture me without doing something, but I couldn't give you information either. I'm sure all of you know what I decided to do but I'll say it anyway to tell everyone else. I lied. I lied to every single one of you while you tortured me with the Cruciatus Curse."

The smirk fell from my lips, and I glared at the Death Eaters as I continued to speak.

"There was also another fatal mistake all of you made. You threatened Draco's life. When you did that, you sealed your fate. I had no intention of letting any of you out of this without all of you being thrown into Azkaban. The fact I knew I had to live in order to save Draco was my salvation. It gave me the strength and determination to continue on for another day. I didn't care if I had to go through prolonged daily torture if it meant I could protect him. I wasn't going to let you bastards kill him without a fight," I declared.

Draco's eyes were wide with disbelief and he opened his mouth to say something but he couldn't.

"Every lie I created was tailored to give Harry, Ron, Neville, Kingsley, and anyone else working at the Ministry clues. The lies made you do things that inadvertently gave you away slowly without any of you realizing it until it was too late. I also tailored some to put doubt on Draco's involvement with my kidnapping. I'm sure Smith knows all about that, don't you?" I asked Smith with a smirk.

He angrily tried to break free from his chains as he yelled enough to make his face completely red. I released him from the Silencing Charm.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you, you filthy Mudblood!" he bellowed.

"Temper. Temper," I said smugly.

I pointed at him and used the Silencing Charm on him once again then looked at everyone else in the room.

"I spent the last ten months devising lie after lie. I was tortured daily for hours on end. The information I gave depended on who was torturing me and if I had a lie to tell. Each of them thought they had some of the information they wanted but I also made sure not to say enough that they believed they had all of it. It forced them to keep me alive. They all played beautifully into my hands. I knew there was absolutely nothing they could do about my lies even when they found out about it. They had to act on the information I had given them or they wouldn't be able to act at all. I was their only source of information. In other words, while they thought they had the advantage, it was really me," I said with a smirk.

Afterwards I began telling everyone each lie I created for each specific person while everyone in the room stared at me with wide eyes. It took a little while but when I was near the end, I felt extremely satisfied by my testimony. I knew I had told everyone all of the lies I had created and the people I asked to come to the trial as witnesses recognized them.

"The last lie was the one I told Smith. The group was becoming desperate to get information out of me. They knew they were working on borrowed time. Their coworkers were becoming suspicious of them after all the lies I had made them act on. At first he tried to use Veritaserum, but I was able to resist it with Occlumency. I didn't even attempt to pretend like the potion worked. They would have believed they had all the information they could get out of me and they'd kill me. As a result, he was forced to torture me like so many times before. I obviously couldn't be too forthcoming with the lie I had planned for him. It was the one I was riding everything on and I needed him to act on it. Draco's future depended on it. I let him torture me for a little bit but apparently, because of his short temper, I goaded him too much. That was when he carved the word Mudblood into my arm."

I instinctive rubbed my arm and didn't say anything for a few long moments.

"I told him to ask Harry about a woman named Ronnie Blackwell. She and Kingsley were talking about the possibility of letting Muggles become more involved with the wizarding world. In order to reminder Harry of her, I told him something she would supposedly say. Dragons attitudes have a tendency of showing the worst parts of their personality and cause people to misjudge them. What I've learned is to never judge a book by its cover. They really aren't so bad. Actually, you'll find they're fairly innocent and sweet if you take the time to be with them and listen to them."

A quiet sigh escaped my lips. I was becoming tired from all the walking, standing and talking, but I forced myself to continue with my testimony. I wasn't going to stop until I was finished.

"Ronnie Blackwell was a fictitious woman only Ron, Harry, Neville, Ginny, Draco and I know about. I knew the name would stick out to them like a sore thumb. The part about the Dragons was about Draco. He's named after the dragon constellation. The main purpose of it was to tell them he was innocent and to talk to him. It took Smith a few days to act on it but eventually he did and he found out it was a lie. As a result, he tortured me sufficiently all night long. He re-carved the word Mudblood into my left forearm and stabbed my right thigh twice. I was close to losing my mind by the time it was over."

I showed the Chief Warlock my thigh and he nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"What about your wrists? What created those scars?" he asked.

"I was re-chained to the wall with shackles that had the Anti-Alohomora Charm on them after my interrogation of Hastings. Instinctively, I always pulled down on them while I was being tortured and they dug into my skin."

He nodded his head, and I proceeded with my testimony.

"That night, like many others where I was tortured, I relied heavily on the fact I knew I had to protect Draco. I had created sentences inside of my mind during my time of confinement in order to deal with the torture. All of this is worth it... I have to do this to protect him... I can't give up now... Someone will find out the truth soon... My plan is slowly working... Don't give up... I will protect Draco no matter what it takes... They all had become something of a chant inside of my mind. "Don't give up" was the one I tended to use the most. I always heard Draco's voice inside of my mind say those words. Every time I thought of those words I was reminded of the night he saved me in the common room. I was able to vividly remember his warmth as he held me in his arms for the first time and the promise he made to save me that night. The memory became something I relied on. It helped me keep my sanity."

Draco looked at me with a gentle expression on his face.

"As you all can see, my plan worked. Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione figured out my message. They talked to Draco and told him about it. He, in turn, told them what really happened the night I was kidnapped. He also decided to give them the old vial of Liquid Luck he took from me so they could find me. Why would he give them the one thing that would allow them to find me if he was really guilty? I was the one person who could actually tell everyone with certainty if he was guilty of his crime or not.

I wasn't expecting anyone to answer me so I spoke my next words without waiting for a response.

"Once they left Azkaban, they headed for Malfoy Manor where the vial of Liquid Luck was. I won't say the cute nickname he told them in order to get Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione through the door — Draco might lose face if I did that — but it worked, nonetheless. His father let them inside, and they were able to obtain the potion."

A blush appeared on his cheeks and he spoke to Hermione.

"You told her that?" he asked her accusingly.

An amused expression appeared on my face along with Hermione's but she didn't say anything in response.

"Harry, Ron, Neville, and Hermione told them what was going on and his parents offered to help. Several people can verify they really were working together as hard as it is to believe," I said when I noticed incredulous looks appear on many peoples faces. "That day, with the help of the Liquid Luck, they managed to talk to Kingsley and Gawain and convinced them to reopen my case. They also forced Smith, with the use of Veritaserum, to tell them where I was. With reinforcements consisting of the entire Weasley family, Kingsley, Gawain, and the Auror's Department everyone headed over to Hastings Manor to rescue me. Draco's parent's involvement became crucial. They were the only ones in the group familiar with the inside of Hastings home. It was his mother who rescued me. She used some Polyjuice Potion I was storing in my desk and changed into Smith to get inside of the building."

A surprised expression appeared on Draco's face from the news.

"We were able to get out of Hastings Manor but Hastings apparated to his home just as the Liquid Luck wore off. He managed to catch wind of what was going on and tried to stop us from getting away. Eventually, one thing led to another and in the end I was saved. The Death Eaters were thrown behind bars and I was left to plan this trial. That's why there are so many witnesses and spectators. I wanted to ensure Draco would gain his freedom and everyone involved with the Death Eaters would be thrown into Azkaban for life. I also invited the press here, so the whole wizarding world will know that Draco can be trusted and hopefully his character will never be put into question again."

Once again the courtroom fell silent when I finished my explanation. Everyone was staring at me with looks of amazement and respect. The Death Eaters were all glaring at me angrily. I just smirked at them.

"Well... This is a lot of information to take in. Is that everything you need to say?" the Chief Warlock asked.

"There's just one last thing," I said to him as I looked at him and the rest of the Wizengamot.

"What is it?"

"I plead with all of you to not condemn Draco to a life in Azkaban. His past mistakes shouldn't affect your decision here. The facts are that he wasn't involved with the Death Eaters in this instance. He didn't aid them in kidnapping me. Please find it in your hearts to give him a chance. Once he gets over himself, he's really not that bad. He's very dear to me," I said to them with a pleading expression on my face.

They didn't say anything but I could tell most of them were taking my words into consideration. I walked over to the witness chair to grab my coat now that my testimony was finally over. When I caught sight of Draco, he had a small smile on his lips while staring at me with an extremely gentle expression on his face again. I gave the Wizengamot one final look as I put my coat back on then headed back over to the benches to sit down.

"I knew you would pull through for him. There's no way they wouldn't give him a good verdict after that," Ron said as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"Thanks Ron," I said with a weak smile.

I could only hope he was right as Hermione called Amy up to bear her testimony in front of everyone. I wouldn't feel at ease until he was finally free...


	22. Author Note

Hello everyone!

I don't normally do Author Notes - I'm under the assumption that it's just better to publish the next chapter than to inform everyone on why I haven't - but I wanted to explain why it's taking me so long to get the next chapter out in this case.

First and foremost, I want to thank all of you for sticking with me so far! I really appreciate it! You can all be assured that I will finish this story, I just don't know when the next part will finally come out.

The truth is that before I publish the next part I plan to add a lot more content to this story and I want to change a few things. These changes and additions will hopefully add more to the story in terms of development and help explain things that may not have made sense before. There definitely won't be as many time skips since I plan to go through all the years at Hogwarts although since the main character isn't friends with the trio it'll be a little different. It will also help with future chapters I have planned. Hopefully it will add more interest to the story than before.

Normally I wouldn't do something like this, but I think it's necessary. I wasn't planning on this being any bigger than a one-shot originally but as you all can see it isn't. That's why I want to go back and add more detail. I hope all of you can understand. If you guys are angry about it, I also understand. It's a lot to ask for all of you to wait as long as you may have to until I can finally publish the end of the trial. I already have the added content to the story written almost to the end of sixth year so I'm hoping it won't be too long before I can start publishing it slowly.

Hopefully all of you will like it when I'm actually finished and that everyone who can wait won't be disappointed in the results.

I will also be changing the title of the story from **Chance or Fate** to **Love, Redemption, and Salvation**. I think it fits the over all theme of the book better. I'm also going to change the summary.

Sorry for all of this!


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